India to Launch First-Ever 500 MW Solar Thermal Tender by FY25 End

SECI will release a tender for 500 MW of solar thermal capacity by the end of FY25. The tender, unprecedented in scale for India, marks a significant step in the country's renewable energy ambitions. Industry leaders discussed battery technology advancements and safety during the India Energy Storage Week 2024.

In a significant move for India's renewable energy landscape, SECI, the nodal agency responsible for implementing the government's renewable projects, plans to issue a tender for 500 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal capacity by the end of the financial year 2024-25. This will be a groundbreaking step, marking the first time such a large-scale solar thermal tender is floated in the country, according to SECI Chairman and Managing Director R P Gupta.

'The tender is expected to be out by the end of this financial year 2024-25. There have been (solar thermal) tenders but not of this scale,' Gupta stated on the sidelines of the India Energy Storage Week 2024, organized by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).

Gupta highlighted that previous solar thermal projects were smaller and expensive. The new projects under the 500-MW tender will utilize advanced technology to generate steam through heat, aiding turbine operations. Gupta assured that prices will be competitive with other Round the Clock (RTC) solutions. The IESW 2024 event underscored India's commitment to net zero emissions, featuring discussions on energy storage, e-mobility, and clean technology advancements.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)