Scatec eyes partnerships with Indian PV developers as part of development right into nation

• Norwegian independent power producer Scatec is wanting to work together with project programmers in India as part of efforts to get a grip in the country's growing solar market.

The firm has a notable presence in countries such as Egypt, Malaysia and South Africa, however has yet to protect any functional PV possessions in India. This is set to alter in the coming years, with the country amongst the essential growth markets in Scatec's new expansion strategy, which will certainly see the firm add 12GW of extra tidy energy capability by the end of 2025.

With coal-fired plants making up the majority of India's mounted power ability, Scatec is intending to take advantage of the country's shift to renewables, which will certainly see it target 280GW of installed solar by 2030.

" It's a significant market, they have a substantial requirement for new power," Terje Pilskog, EVP of solar and also wind project advancement at Scatec, informed PV Tech. "We will both aim to become part of collaborations with programmers that already have fully grown projects, as well as actioning in and developing a brand-new portfolio to additionally participate in future tenders."

The firm has a 50% stake in a 900MW solar pipe in India that is anticipated to reach financial close this year. Furthermore, Pilskog claimed the company is exploring opportunities for hybrid projects in India that can potentially incorporate PV and also wind.

Crossbreed solutions, such as PV-plus-storage as well as floating solar with hydropower, compose 18% of the business's worldwide 12GW advancement portfolio, with PV expected to make up around 6GW of ability additions by the end of 2025.

Along With India, Scatec will intend to grow its solar presence in the coming years in South Africa, Brazil as well as Vietnam. Pilskog claimed the company will seek to integrate its experience of establishing projects and also running possessions with these countries' efforts to add significant amounts of brand-new renewables capability over the next 5 years.

Because introducing the growth plan, Scatec has actually released its 2020 annual report, in which the business revealed COVID-19 had a "limited influence" on its procedures and also capability to supply power last year, however there were some delays to connection, appointing and also testing of its brand-new solar plants. While revenue from power sales enhanced last year, a drop in growth and also construction activities resulted in a year-on-year decline in earnings for the business in its entirety.

The annual report additionally provides some understanding into the prospective Scatec sees in incorporating floating solar with the hydropower properties it has actually handled with its current acquisition of SN Power. Hybridisation of the two technologies permits the sharing of facilities "to minimize cost as well as the conversion of incidental power to solid power with a higher market price", the business claimed.

Scatec currently has an examination floating PV facility on the Magat dam in the Philippines, yet with the SN Power procurement only enclosing January, it is uncertain when the initial bigger project will certainly be know. Pilskog said "good development" is being made in the area, with the business proceeding expediency researches begun by SN Power.