National Solar Mission

[1] The program was inaugurated as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission[2] by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 11 January 2010[3] with a target of 20 GW by 2022.

[6] The original target of 20 GW was surpassed in 2018 (counting only utility installed capacity), four years ahead of the 2022 deadline.

[10] India had an installed solar capacity of 161 MW on 31 March 2010, about 2 and half months after the mission was launched on 11 January.

By 31 March 2015, three months before the targets were revised, India had achieved an installed solar capacity of 3,744 MW.

The subsidiary, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVN),[18] laid out guidelines for selection of developers for commissioning grid connected solar power projects in India.

While NVVN is the public face of this phase, several other departments and ministries will play a significant role in formulating guidelines.

Thin film technologies like amorphous silicon, CIGS and CdTe could be more suitable for higher temperature situations.

NVVN issued Request for Selection notice for allotment of capacity to Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

To avoid allocating entire capacity to a select few corporate, guidelines required no two projects to have the same parent company or common shareholders.

In case of over subscription, a reverse bidding process was to be used to select the final IPPs based on lowest tariff they offer.

Multivariate analysis was carried out using key variables like capital cost, interest and the capacity utilization factor (i.e. CUF which is actual generation of the plant and depends on the location (radiation) and technology used) to calculate the levelized tariff for a target equity IRR based on which the discount to be offered can be determined.

The former camp prefers to source modules by accessing highly competitive global market to attain flexible pricing, better quality, predictable delivery and use of latest technologies.

[26] Manufacturers want to avoid competition with global players and are lobbying the government to incentivise growth of local industry[citation needed].

Market responded to domestic content requirement by choosing to procure thin film modules from well established international players.