IT Voice News: Rumors have been doing rounds that the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission or JNNSM is having a huge expansion this week and the rumors have been confirmed by the Indian government now. The government has announced 75 per cent increase in the capacity target of the project.
On Friday, solar developers were invited for a consultation meeting in New Delhi to discuss and give feedback on plans how to expand the capacity under Phase II of the program. This capacity increase means 9GW will be expanded to 15.75GW. Following the World Trade Organization complaint by U.S. against the domestic content of the JNNSM, a reduction of 25 per cent from 50 per cent has taken place in allocation for Indian made projects. On Tuesday the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy released their draft guidelines for the second round of Phase II of the national program. Feedback for the same has been invited until the end of the month.
The 9GW target was set by the previous government under the four year second phase pf the scheme. Now pro-solar PM of India, Narendra Modi has decided to expand the phase by two years to reach the target of more 6.75GW. He wants to deliver 15GW in three phases by 2019. The first batch would deliver 3GW by 2017 and it will be delivered through large scale solar parks in Andhra Pradesh and other states. The domestic content requirement permits Indian manufacturers to import wafers or starting substrates for thin film projects. But solar cells and modules must be manufactured in India. India is targeted to become a manufacturing hub in solar PV. The second tranche aims to generate 5GW solar power and it will begin next year. The third tranche is intended to deliver the remaining 7GW and it will start in 2016-17 fiscal year.
