Greentech Lead India: Karnataka state, India, will
announce the results of its first auction to award contracts to build solar
power plants by next week.
The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development, the state-run
agency overseeing the auction, is awaiting clarifications from three of the
bidders before it announces the winner,
Companies including Tata Power, Welspun Group, Kiran
Energy Solar Power and Jindal Aluminium bid for 50 MW of photovoltaic
capacity, according to KREDL.
Bidders for 30 MW of solar-thermal projects were Sunborne
Energy, backed by billionaire Vinod Khosla, and Atria Power Corp.
The bids were submitted in December. KREDL delayed
opening them due to a legal snag after the agency broke a rule requiring
government bodies to award contracts through an online procurement system,
according to a report in BusinessWeek.
Solar-thermal projects use sunlight to heat liquids that
produce steam for generators; photovoltaic plants use panels to turn sunlight
directly into power.