New ventures continue to mushroom in India. Earlier this year, Indian business conglomerate Welspun announced its plans to set up 500 MW of solar power across India over the next five years.
US-based design-build contractor Lauren Engineers & Constructors and Mumbai-based CCL Optoelectronics have formed a partnership to build CSP facilities in India. Lauren served as the EPC contractor for the 75 MW Martin Solar Energy Center in Florida, as well as the 72 MW Nevada Solar One Plant in Boulder City, Nevada.
New ventures continue to mushroom in India. Earlier this year, Indian business conglomerate Welspun announced its plans to set up 500 MW of solar power across India over the next five years. Welspun Energy’s solar power plants with use both PV and concentrated solar thermal technologies. The Welspun Group has also acquired a stake in project development and contracting company Leighton India, part of the Australian conglomerate Leighton Holdings. Welspun Group through its closely held entity, Welspun Infra Projects, has also agreed to acquire 35% strategic stake in Leighton Contractors (India) for US$102 million.
In another development, Abengoa signed an agreement with Indian engineering and manufacturing enterprise Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and formalised a strategic partnership to jointly undertake CSP projects in India. The agreement covers joint supply and implementation of CSP plants through engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts.
The Indian government launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with a target of 20,000 MW grid solar power (based on solar thermal power generating systems and solar photovoltaic technologies), 2000 MW of off-grid capacity including 20 million solar lighting systems and 20 million sq.m. solar thermal collector area by 2022.
The mission will be implemented in three phases. The first phase will be of three years (up to March, 2013), the second till March 2017 and the third phase will continue till March, 2022.
