India, France ink Renewable Energy Contracts under ISA Umbrella

In new & renewable energy sector, India’s one of the leading solar manufacturer and EPC player Vikram Solar has signed a collaboration pact with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

Under the umbrella of International Solar Alliance (ISA), Indian and French companies have signed various business contracts and agreements in the new & renewable energy sector.

The different Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) were inked at the Indo-French Economic Partnership signing ceremony on the occasion of the state visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to India.

In new & renewable energy sector, India’s one of the leading solar manufacturers and EPC players, Vikram Solar has signed a collaboration pact with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

The deal was signed by the Vikram Solar, MD & CEO, Gyanesh Chaudhary and Daniel Verwaerde, Chairman of CEA, to enhance Research and Developments (R&D) on high efficiency crystalline silicon cells, modules, systems and a host of high efficiency generation and storage technologies for French and Indian markets.

Under the MoU, CEA will share their know-how and technologies in the field of solar energy, storage, smart grid and thermal efficiency while Vikram Solar will apply these technologies in large volume manufacturing with a wider objective of improving solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules to perform at record-efficiency in energy conversion and simultaneously developing battery solutions by increasing their energy storage capacity.

Other advanced research and development areas of collaboration will include crystallization and wafering, mono and bi-facial modules, agri-photovoltaics, solar mobility etc. as well as exploring new competitive materials in order to reduce costs.

Another major development was, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) signed MoU with Électricité de France (EDF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Enedis to explore prospective opportunities together, related to ‘Smart Grid Technology’ in India.

The pact was signed between the two firms heading towards the goal of electricity development and smart sustainable city development by Praveer Sinha, CEO and MD of the Tata Power-DDL and Marianne Aigneau who is in Charge of the international division of EDF.

In other significant development, Indian firm Topaz Solar signed an MoU with French firm Appolon Solar SAS for providing 2 lines of production for high quality solar panels, to set up a panel Giga factory in Odisha.

A few other contracts signed were, contract between the French company Ciel & Terre on the one hand and AM HOLDINGS and GREEN AM on the other hand – for the installation of the first floating solar plant in Tamil Nadu (capacity of 28 MW); MoU of cooperation between 2 industrial federations in smart grids: Think Smart Grid, for France and ISGF (Indian Smart Grid Forum).

Some other agreements include, Renewal of the contract between EDF EN and Bharat Light & Power on data acquisition to optimize wind and solar production; and MoU on electric mobility between EdF International Networks, Citelum, G2M and Solstyce, four French company who intend to work together to develop in India e-vehicle charging infrastructure.