The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)’s tender allows the bidder to source solar cells and modules for 25 MW project from anywhere in the world
The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has issued a tender to develop 25 MW floating solar project at NTPC Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh. Developers can submit bids for the project starting from January 22, 2019.
The solar developers can source solar cells and modules from anywhere in the world and the tender issued includes supplying floaters, installation, anchoring, fixing of floaters, pathways corresponding to 35 MW (minimum). It also includes engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the project based on open category photovoltaic modules and cells.
Eligibility to bid
As per Mercom reports, the bidder’s annual turnover should be at least Rs 947 million in the last three fiscals to be able to bid for the floating solar project. They should also have designed, supplied, installed and commissioned grid-connected solar PV project of cumulative installed capacity of 20 MW or higher, out of which at least one project should be of 10 MW capacity or higher.
Floating solar projects in India
Recently, India got its first floating solar project with Shapoorji Pallonji bagging Uttar Pradesh’s project of 50 MW. It quoted Rs 3.32 as the upper tariff ceiling for this tender. The concept is relatively new to India’s context. It is believed that the concept will bring down the issues in acquiring land for solar projects.
According to a report by the World Bank and Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), the global potential of floating solar is estimated to be around 400 GW. As per the report, floating solar capacity has grown from 10 MW in 2014 to 1.1 GW in 2018.
