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					</table>The <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/indias-dcr-solar-push-is-creating-a-cost-and-supply-crunch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widening</a> price gap between Domestic Content Requirement (DCR)-compliant and non-DCR modules is reshaping procurement and investment decisions across India’s solar industry. Higher module prices, constrained domestic cell availability, and longer delivery timelines are increasing project costs, delaying financial closures, compressing installer margins, and slowing project execution across the residential, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale segments.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-to-continue-renewable-energy-skilling-program-until-fy-2031" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> the continuation of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Program in New and Renewable Energy from financial year (FY) 2027 to FY 2031, with a fresh financial outlay of ₹2 billion (~$21 million). The HRD program aims to strengthen renewable energy education and training to develop a qualified and skilled workforce.
Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/guvnl-announces-winners-of-450-mw-900-mwh-battery-storage-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the winners of the auction to set up 450 MW/900 MWh of battery energy storage systems in the state, with viability gap funding from the power system development fund (Phase-IX).
DNH and DD Power Corporation <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/dnhddpcl-invites-bids-to-empanel-agencies-for-5-mw-rooftop-solar-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest to empanel agencies to install 5,000 grid-connected rooftop solar systems in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The last day to submit the bids is August 18, 2026. Bids will be opened on the same day.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/nvvn-invites-eois-to-procure-263-mw-of-solar-open-access-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest to procure 263 MW of solar power from NTPC’s operational solar projects through open access by commercial and industrial consumers, distribution companies and others. Bids must be submitted by September 1, 2026. Bids will be opened the next day.
The Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/maharashtra-invites-eoi-for-170-mw-floating-solar-project-with-battery-storage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> expressions of interest to develop a 170 MW AC floating solar project with a battery energy storage system in Maharashtra. The last date to submit the bids is August 21, 2026. Bids will be opened on the same day or the next working day.
Waaree Transpower, the transformer solutions subsidiary of Waaree Energies <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/waaree-subsidiary-secures-medium-voltage-skids-order-worth-%E2%82%B91-6-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> an order worth approximately ₹1.6 billion (~$16 million) to supply 8.3 MVA medium-voltage applications from an undisclosed global energy storage technology and solutions provider. Shipments under the order began in July 2026.
Electric mobility-as-a-service company Yulu <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/yulu-raises-93-million-in-series-c-funding-eyes-200000-ev-fleet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> $93 million in a Series C funding round led by GEF Capital Partners. The funding comprises $63 million in equity and $30 million in debt.
UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla Group company, will <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ultratech-cement-to-procure-solar-power-from-waaree-spvs-65-mw-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">procure</a> solar power from a 65 MW project being developed by Waaree Forever Energies’ special purpose vehicle, Solaris Horizon Energy, in Chhattisgarh.
Energy storage solutions provider Amara Raja Energy and Mobility <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/amara-raja-start-10-gwh-battery-plant-construction-q1-revenue-up-24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> revenue from operations of ₹42.15 billion (~$442.58 million) in the first quarter (Q1) of the financial year 2027, up 23.9% year-over-year (YoY) from ₹34.01 billion (~$357.12 million).
Renewable energy company ACME Solar Holdings <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/acme-solar-refinances-%E2%82%B921-5-billion-debt-to-redeem-offshore-dollar-bonds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">completed</a> the refinancing of ₹21.47 billion (~$225.01 million) of debt by redeeming existing non-convertible debentures issued by 12 operational SPVs with a cumulative solar capacity of 450 MW.
U.S.-based Octillion Power Systems, a supplier of battery systems for electric vehicles, <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/octillion-opens-third-battery-plant-in-india-with-3-gwh-annual-capacity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened</a> its third manufacturing facility in India in Halol, Gujarat, adding more than 3 GWh of annual battery production capacity. The facility spans more than 13,000 square meters and can produce more than 48,000 battery systems annually at full capacity.
Hydrogen fuel cell solutions provider Plug Power <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/plug-power-q2-revenue-beats-estimates-expects-full-profitability-in-2028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> revenue of $178.3 million in Q2 2026, an uptick of 2.5% YoY from $173.97 million. It beat analysts’ expectations of $168.76 million by 5.6%.

Daily News Wrap-Up: DCR Push Triggers a Solar Module Supply Crunch

The Ministry of new and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/tenders" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MNRE</a>) has decided that strict action will be taken against those solar project developers that are using imported solar cells and modules to develop projects under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) category.
Speaking to Mercom, MNRE’s senior executive official said, “This order will apply only on those projects where DCR policy is applicable.”
In India, DCR category projects was introduced to provide a guaranteed market for local solar component manufacturers.
The ministry has come up with a plan of action to curb such discrepancies. Punishment will range from the filing of criminal cases under the Indian Penal Code, blacklisting of developer for ten years, forfeiting of relevant bank guarantees, and disciplinary cases against the concerned government official.
It is a known fact that manufacturers have been importing solar components and <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mislabeled-imported-panels-dcr-penalized/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mislabeling</a> them to be used for DCR projects for a long time.  MNRE had isuued an order in 2018 to curb this practice but not much has happened since then.
The only time imported modules could be <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-wto-dcr-dispute-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">used</a> in DCR projects was to replace defective cells or modules in the open category.  This ruling was applicable to all the PPAs that were executed then as well as the PPAs that were in the process of finalization.
According to Pavankumar Siddhi, the managing director of Sungrace Energy Solutions, the current situation of the Indian solar industry is such that some of the solar cell manufacturers of the country are overbooked and are not able to supply the solar cells.
“If any solar module manufacturer has a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certificate using any one of the indigenous solar cells, they should be allowed to manufacture modules with any other indigenously manufactured solar cells of the same technology,” said Siddhi.

To Curb Misuse, MNRE to Take Action Against Those Importing Solar Cells for DCR Projects

The month of December 2019 saw a significant rise in the solar tender activity compared to the subdued activity in November 2019. The last month of 2019 also saw one major auction, a respite when compared with the previous month, which had no auctions at all.
In December 2019, tenders were announced for 2.3 GW of solar, according to <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mercom India Solar Tender Tracker</a> compared to November 2019 which saw approximately 700 MW of solar <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-tendered-november-auctions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tenders</a> and no auctions.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/India-Solar-Tenders-and-Auctions-MW.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-17091" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/India-Solar-Tenders-and-Auctions-MW.png" alt="India Solar Tenders and Auctions (MW)" width="606" height="420" srcset="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/India-Solar-Tenders-and-Auctions-MW.png 606w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/India-Solar-Tenders-and-Auctions-MW-300x208.png 300w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/India-Solar-Tenders-and-Auctions-MW-600x416.png 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px" /></a>
Year-over-year, the capacity tendered in December 2019 declined by 82% compared to <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-tenders-13-gw-announced-december-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">December 2018</a>, which witnessed tender announcements of ~13.2 GW.
Similarly, auctions decreased by 76% compared to the same month last year. In December 2019, nearly 500 MW of solar was auctioned compared to December 2018 with auctions for 2.1 GW.
Major Tenders
Here is a quick recap of the major tenders that were announced in December 2019:
The month saw the Solar Electricity Corporation India’s (SECI) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-tenders-solar-wind-solar-hybrid-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announcement</a> for two tenders for 1.2 GW each of solar and wind-solar hybrid projects, connected to the interstate transmission system (ISTS). However, as of now, no documents are available for these two tenders.
The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-floats-tender-923-mw-solar-projects-dcr-category/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">invited</a> bids to develop 923 MW of solar projects. According to the tender, the projects can range between 50 MW and 300 MW. The tender has been floated under tranche II of the second phase of the central public sector undertaking (CPSU) program.
The NTPC also <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-solar-epc-tender-maharashtra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">invited bids for 500 MW</a> of grid-connected solar projects under an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) package in Maharashtra. The projects under this tender can range anywhere between 100 MW and 500 MW.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/msedcl-tender-solar-tariff-cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">issued</a> a request for selection (RfS) for the long-term procurement of power from 500 MW of intra-state grid-connected solar power projects (Phase-V). The MSEDCL has set a ceiling tariff of ₹2.90 (~$0.041)/kWh.
Retender
The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/bihar-reissues-solar-tender-ceiling-tariff/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reissued</a> its first large-scale solar tender with a revised ceiling tariff of  ₹3.15 (~$0.04)/kWh. The tender was initially floated in June 2019 for setting up 250 MW of grid-connected ground-mounted solar projects in the state, but there was no ceiling tariff proposed for the bid.
Major Auction
Juniper Green Energy Pvt Ltd emerged as the lowest bidder in the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/juniper-lowest-bid-maharashtra-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">auction</a> for 500 MW of solar projects held by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited.
Juniper Green won 150 MW of solar projects in the auction at a tariff of ₹2.89 ($0.0407)/kWh. The remaining 350 MW was bagged by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MSPGCL) at a tariff of ₹2.90 ($0.0409)/kWh.
The tender was issued in November 2019 for the long-term procurement of power from 500 MW of intra-state solar power project (Phase-IV).
Image credit: Univergy

After a Slow November, Solar Tender and Auction Activity Picked Up in December 2019

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