SECI asks Chinese Investors To Set Up Solar Manufacturing Units In India

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in conjunction with the Indian Embassy in China organized the “Business Opportunities in Solar Sector in India” seminar recently. China New Energy Chamber of Commerce (CNECC) and China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) also participated as co-organizers of the event. More than 150 delegates attended the seminar from more than 110 Chinese companies, financial institutions, banks, and media.

The seminar was aimed at promoting the request for selection (RfS) documents for SECI’s recently floated project among the prospective Chinese investors.

Prashant Lokhande, Counsellor (Economy & Commerce) announced that the RfS is an immediate opportunity for Chinese solar manufacturers to invest in India. The RfS provides a unique opportunity to global solar companies for setting up 5 GW integrated manufacturing facilities. These facilities are to manufacture solar photovoltaic (PV) modules along with solar cells, silicon wafers and ingots. Furthermore, incentives were assured for off-takes of 10 GW power from solar PV power projects, along with the assurance of manufacturing capacity to be set-up by the bidders.

Shi Limin, the standing deputy secretary general at CNECC and Jiang Hua the director at CPIA pushed the Chinese investors to grab this immediate opportunity in the solar sector to invest in India.

SECI tendered 5 GW of manufacturing capacity to be set up across India, earlier in May this year. The manufacturing capacity is to be linked to the inter-state transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar PV projects for an aggregate capacity of 10 GW. Successful bidders of the tender will have to pay Rs10.6 million per project in addition to the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) to SECI towards administrative overheads, liaising with the state authorities, DISCOMs, STUs or CTUs, pre-commissioning and commissioning expense within 30 days of issuance of LoI. Furthermore, Bidders selected by SECI will have to submit two separate performance bank guarantees (PBGs) per project at the rate of Rs.2.2 billion/GW for solar manufacturing and Rs.4 billion/2GW of solar PV project within 30 days of issuance of Letter of Intent (LoI).

copyright:iamrenew.com