NTPC largest solar park, MoES weather forecasting for solar, IndiGrid acquires 100 MW solar and more

This week’s Solar News Wrap includes NTPC largest solar park in Rann of Kutch, U.S. to speed rooftop solar growth, MoES weather forecasting for solar and wind, IndiGrid acquires 100 MW solar asset, Singapore unveils biggest floating solar panel farms

NTPC to set up India’s single largest solar park at Rann of Kutch

NTPC Renewable Energy ltd, a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, has received the go-ahead from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to set up 4750 megawatt renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat.  This will be India’s largest solar park to be built by the largest power producer of the country.

U.S. to speed rooftop solar growth with instant permits

The Biden administration has rolled out a tool that enables instant permitting of rooftop solar installations, addressing a major source of industry delays and possibly lowering costs for homeowners, the Energy Department said. The Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP+) platform, developed by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, will be a standard portal for local governments to process permit applications automatically. Approvals typically take a week or more currently, and permit-related costs can account for about a third of installers’ overall costs, DOE said.

MoES plans weather forecasting programme for wind, solar energy sectors

The Earth Sciences Ministry’s 2021-2026 plan will have a weather forecasting programme for wind and solar energy sectors where weather plays a crucial role, a senior official said. Addressing a workshop on ‘Meteorology Forecast for Wind and Solar Energy Generation: Current Status and Perspective’, Earth Sciences Ministry secretary M Rajeevan said there are challenges in weather prediction for wind and solar energy sectors. The MoES has a good programme for 2021-2026 for activities related to weather forecast for wind and solar energy sector,he said.

Singapore unveils one of the world’s biggest floating solar panel farms

Singapore recently unveiled one of the world’s largest floating solar panel farms, spanning an area equivalent to 45 football fields and producing enough electricity to power the island’s five water treatment plants. The project is part of efforts by the land-scarce Southeast Asian city-state to meet a goal of quadrupling its solar energy production by 2025 to help tackle climate change.

IndiGrid acquires 100 MW solar assets from Fotowatio Renewable Ventures for Rs 660 crore

IndiGrid, a power infrastructure investment trusthas announced that it has completed acquisition of 100 per cent stake in two solar assets with 100 megawatt (MW) capacity from Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) for Rs 660 crore. With this acquisition, the company’s asset portfolio now consists of 14 diversified power projects and marks the first renewable energy acquisition by any InvIT in the country.