DECEMBER 20238AMPIN & JUPITER TO CREATE 1.3 GW SOLAR VENTURE IN INDIAAmpIn Energy Transition, previously known as Amp Energy India and a significant player in India's Independent Power Producer (IPP) sector, has unveiled a strategic alliance with Jupiter International Limited to create a joint venture exclusively dedicated to solar panel manufacturing. This partnership marks a crucial move to enhance India's solar cell and module production capacity, ultimately fostering self-sufficiency in the renewable energy industry.Within this joint venture (JV), the two partners will establish an advanced manufacturing facility with a focus on producing up to 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of high-quality solar cells and modules. This initiative is in line with the Indian government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Tranche-II program, which is designed to boost domestic manufacturing, reduce global supply chain vulnerabilities, and decrease India's dependence on solar imports. AmpIn's venture into manufacturing is geared towards gaining control over the supply chain for critical components. This strategic move resonates with the growing demand for solar cells made in India.Jupiter International Limited, which already operates an 800 MW solar cell manufacturing facility in Himachal Pradesh, brings more than 15 years of experience producing efficient solar cells. This partnership harnesses Jupiter's expertise and combines it with AmpIn's dedication to delivering cost-effective renewable energy. According to the JV's terms, the solar modules will be used both domestically by AmpIn and provided to third-party developers, facilitating growth in both the domestic and export segments of India's renewable energy industry. LINDE WILL PROVIDE INDUSTRIAL GASES TO INDIAN OIL'S PANIPAT REFINERYLinde's branches in India have entered into extended contracts to provide industrial gases to Indian Oil Corporation's Panipat refinery in Northern India. Linde will establish, possess, and operate substantial on-site facilities to deliver hydrogen, nitrogen, and compressed dry air to Indian Oil through a Job Work arrangement. These new on-site facilities will assist in the significant expansion of the Panipat refinery, increasing its capacity from 15 to 25 million metric tons annually.Industrial gases play vital roles in the refining process, such as sulfur removal for clean fuel production, crude oil cracking into various products, and equipment purging and cleaning. The Panipat project will mark Linde's second major hydrogen plant constructed, owned, and operated for Indian Oil. It will also rank among Linde's largest on-site facilities in India, with a combined industrial gas production capacity of 142,200 cubic meters (Nm3) per hour. The plant is scheduled to become operational in 2025.Besides serving Indian Oil, the new on-site complex will fulfill nitrogen demand from various sectors, including chemicals & energy and manufacturing. Moloy Banerjee, President of ASEAN & South Asia at Linde, noted, "We secured this project due to the outstanding efficiency of our technology and Linde's proven track record in providing safe and reliable service to our customers. We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Indian Oil and expand our presence in Northern India". TOP STORIESINDIA'S STEEL PRODUCTION TO REACH 190MT BY 2030As per the SteelMint India report, India's steel demand is expected to grow at a CAGR of seven percent to reach 190 Million Tonne (MT) by 2030. According to the market research firm, the construction and infrastructure sectors will contribute 60-65 percent of the demand. Based on a seven percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), India's steel demand is expected to reach 190 MT in 2030."In the best-case scenario, it can also reach 230 MT by 2030," according to the report titled 'India's Steel and Coking Coal Demand 2030."Automobile and engineering sectors will also drive demand, and factors such as population growth, urbanisation, and various government initiatives will be key drivers. According to the report, demand will reach 120 MT by the end of 2023, while production will be 136 MT. India's crude steel production is expected to reach 210 MT by 2030, a 45 percent increase over 2023 levels.According to the report, many countries, including China, will see a drop in steel production compared to current levels. According to SteelMint, India's steel production growth via the Blast Oxygen Furnace (BOF) route, aiming for 140 MT of hot metal output in 2030, will necessitate 116 MT of metallurgical coal.In times to come, India will emerge as the largest importer of sea-borne met coal, which has a market share of 30 per cent, it said, adding that the country will require around 350 MT of iron ore by 2030. GOVERNMENT TO INCENTIVISE DOMESTIC MINING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURINGAn inter-disciplinary committee comprised of officials from Coal India, the railway ministry, the heavy industries ministry, NLC India, and NTPC, among others, has recommended encouraging domestic mining equipment manufacturing through incentive schemes, standardisation, and specific tendering clauses. This gains importance because coal is expected to remain the dominant energy source beyond 2030. The committee anticipates a significant demand for equipment over the next ten years.According to a government release, the committee also included representatives from Singareni Collieries Company, West Bengal Power Development Corporation, Bharat Earth Movers, Caterpillar India, Tata Hitachi, Gainwell India, and industry associations.The committee has suggested the standardisation of equipment in line with Coal India's existing equipment standardisation effort, the government said.It has also stated that tender clauses should encourage the use of domestic equipment. A proposal was made to incentivize manufacturers to design, develop, and manufacture equipment in India for five years as part of the Make in India initiative.Coal India currently imports high-capacity equipment worth 3,500 crore, including electric rope shovels, hydraulic shovels, dumpers, crawler dozers, and others, with an additional 1,000 crore in customs duty. TOP STORIES
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