India’s Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has allocated 1.2 GW of wind-solar hybrid capacity among four renewable energy developers under Tranche III of the interstate transmission system (ISTS). Brookfield Asset Management backed ABC Renewable Energy, Adani Renewable Energy and the Indian arm of AMP Energy were awarded 380 MW, 600 MW and 130 MW of capacity respectively for Rs 2.41 ($0.033) per kWh. The tariff represents the lowest ever recorded for wind-solar hybrid projects.
The remaining 90 MW of capacity was allotted to ACME Solar at a tariff of Rs 2.42 per kWh by the bucket-filling method. The winning bidders must set up the projects anywhere in the country on a Build Own Operate Basis.
The tender was initially floated by SECI in January 2020. The projects must include implementation of the transmission network of the Central Transmission Utility at a voltage level of 220 kV or above. Further, the winning bidders must procure ISTS connectivity and long-term access. The tender also specified that the rated installed project capacity of one of the components of the hybrid project must be 25 per cent of the capacity of the other. The project must also maintain a minimum capacity utilisation factor of 30 per cent.
Under Tranche I and II of SECI’s wind-solar hybrid tenders, 1.56 GW of total energy capacity was auctioned. The first of these was held in December 2018 where the lowest tariff of Rs 2.67 per kWh was quoted by SB Energy for developing 450 MW of wind-solar hybrid capacity. The second was held in 2019 which Adani Green Energy emerged as the winning bidder with a quoted tariff of Rs 2.69 per kWh.