From pv magazine India

pv magazine: What are the key challenges and complexities involved in developing large-scale solar projects in India?

Large-scale solar projects face complexities around land acquisition, multi-layered permitting, and transmission readiness. Grid congestion in high-renewable states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan has added further challenges, while curtailments during low-demand periods impact bankability.

At ENGIE, we address these challenges by working closely with state and central utilities, engaging communities early, and embedding digital forecasting and predictive O&M to reduce curtailment risks and enhance grid stability. This approach has helped us deliver projects like the 200 MW Raghanesda plant in Gujarat under tight timelines while maintaining operational resilience.

How can developers and stakeholders effectively navigate regulatory, permitting, and grid-related hurdles?

The key is early, collaborative engagement. Navigating clearances, General Network Access, and Right-of-Way approvals becomes faster and less risky when developers work closely with regulators, DISCOMs, and communities from the start. At ENGIE, our partnerships with SECI, NTPC, NHPC, and state utilities provide both regulatory alignment and financial stability, enabling us to deliver large-scale projects under tight timelines.

Technology is equally important. By embedding storage into upcoming projects, we ease transmission stress and make renewable power dispatchable and predictable—critical as India scales RTC and FDRE projects. Policy frameworks such as the Green Energy Open Access Rules have laid strong foundations, but the next phase requires harmonised state regulations, streamlined approvals, and faster grid upgrades. Through Catalyst Connect, ENGIE’s industry dialogue platform, we bring policymakers, corporates, and experts together to address bottlenecks such as transmission constraints, pending power purchase agreements (PPAs), and virtual PPA readiness, ensuring that projects move from paper to power with greater speed, transparency, and certainty.

With renewable energy landscape undergoing a shift towards hybrid and storage integration, rising corporate demand, and increased use of digital tools, how are developers adapting to this evolving environment?

Three trends are defining the next phase of India’s renewable market. First is the rise of hybrids and storage. Round-the-clock solutions are displacing the traditional baseload model, with BESS, solar, and wind integration becoming the anchor for reliable 24/7 supply. ENGIE aims to operate 7 GW of renewable and storage capacities in India by 2030, with 75% of new capacity solar-linked, and every future project designed with storage integration.

Second is the surge in corporate demand. Corporate PPAs and VPPAs are projected to grow from 12 GW in 2023 to 100 GW by 2030, as industries decarbonize supply chains. ENGIE is bringing its global 4.3 GW corporate PPA experience in 2024 to India, tailoring contracts that include storage and providing geographic flexibility through VPPAs.

Third is the digital transformation of renewable operations. AI-enabled forecasting, predictive O&M, and real-time optimization are reducing costs and improving dispatchability. ENGIE’s battery optimization platform already manages 40+ systems globally, improving fleet availability by up to 10%. We are embedding these tools in India to deliver predictable, cost-effective clean energy at scale.

Together, these shifts are redefining competitiveness. Developers that combine execution excellence with storage innovation, digital intelligence, and corporate partnerships will set the pace of growth.

What are the key enablers that will support ENGIE in achieving 7 GW of installed RE capacity by 2030 in India?

India’s renewable energy market is entering a transformative phase, poised for exponential growth driven by a convergence of policy support, technological innovation, and rising corporate climate commitments.

We have invested over €1 billion in the country in the first decade of operations in India (2014-2025), built a portfolio of 2.3 GW across seven states, and signed long-term PPAs with SECI, NTPC, NHPC, GUVNL, and SJVNL. By 2030, we aim to reach 7 GW of installed renewable capacity, with a strong focus on hybrid and storage-backed projects.

Alongside generation, our Supply & Energy Management vertical enables ENGIE to offer end-to-end energy solutions that go beyond generation, including VPPAs, energy portfolio optimisation, and green attribute monetization such as RECs and carbon credits. By combining global ambition with deep local execution, ENGIE is uniquely equipped to support India’s energy transition with clean, intelligent, and future-ready energy solutions, backed by global ambition and local execution.

Can you share some of ENGIE’s key renewable energy projects in India?

The 200 MW Raghnesda solar power project in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district exemplifies ENGIE’s ability to deliver under pressure. Commissioned in August 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was completed in just 18 months with a zero-infection record—underscoring our uncompromising commitment to health, safety, and operational continuity.

Developed by our wholly owned subsidiary, Electro Solaire Pvt. Ltd. (ESPL), the plant supplies approximately 546 GWh of clean energy annually, offsetting over 387,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. It operates under a 25-year PPA with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL).

The 250 MW Kadapa solar power project spans 5,930 acres in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park, and is one of India’s largest commissioned projects till date. Developed by SolairePro Urja Pvt. Ltd. (SPUPL), it was commissioned in two phases between June 2019 and March 2020. The project uses advanced string inverters to enhance efficiency and system accessibility, and supplies power under a 25-year PPA with NTPC Limited.

Jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, the 75 MW Mirzapur solar plant is a landmark in bilateral renewable cooperation. Spread across 385 acres in Dadar Kalan village, the plant uses over 318,000 solar panels to generate 190 million units of clean electricity annually. Commissioned in March 2018, it remains one of Uttar Pradesh’s largest solar projects.

Located in Rajasthan’s high-irradiation Thar Desert, the 140 MW Bhadla Solar Project was the first in India to deploy water-free robotic cleaning systems. These autonomous robots, remotely controlled via a cloud-based platform, combat heavy dust accumulation from desert storms and are expected to save over 2 billion litres of water over the plant’s 25-year lifecycle.

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