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					</table>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has invited pitches on concentrating solar thermal (CST) technology solutions for various heating applications in industries under its Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development Program.
The proposals should accelerate the adoption of green heat across industries by promoting solar thermal technologies integrated with thermal energy storage to ensure sustainable process heating applications and promote indigenous technology development.
They should establish technical feasibility, economic viability, scalability, and replicability to create a roadmap for commercial deployment and large-scale replacement of fossil fuel-based industrial heating.
The project&#8217;s scope includes identifying suitable industrial clusters; implementing pilot/demonstration projects to validate technical performance; compiling and documenting case studies of successful CST installations; developing best practices and standard guidelines; and facilitating wider adoption and commercial deployment of scalable green heat solutions. The developers will be responsible for operating and maintaining the installed system for a minimum of five years to ensure sustained performance and reliability.
Industries engaged in the manufacturing, development, deployment, or utilization of solar thermal technologies, including beneficiary industries utilizing solar thermal systems in consortium mode, are eligible to apply.
The deadline to submit project proposals is October 7, 2026. A committee will evaluate the proposals.
The Ministry will provide up to 50% financial support to industries, startups, private institutes, and entrepreneurs. The financial assistance shall be capped at ₹20 million (~$210,926) per project. Financial support will depend on the project&#8217;s requirements and potential for adoption and may be offered in the form of Viability Gap Funding.
The Ministry will monitor the overall program progress and review outcomes for replication and scaling up projects. Industry clusters and associations will help applicants with outreach, facilitate consultations, and support dissemination and replication of successful pilot outcomes within the cluster.
Applicants will receive support from various industry stakeholders with project development, technical evaluation, consultations, and approvals.
Industry hosts will support selected applicants in identifying suitable process heat applications and sites, provide adequate land area and site access, facilitate approvals, contribute the beneficiary share of project costs, and support installation and monitoring of the applications.
Solar thermal technology providers and system integrators will assist applicants in site assessments, technology selection, design, supply, and commissioning.
They will also receive guidance on identifying suitable clusters and beneficiary industries, as well as technical evaluation, from other industry stakeholders.
R&amp;D project spending in India’s clean energy sector is largely <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/indias-clean-energy-manufacturing-boom-faces-an-rd-reality-check" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directed</a> towards laboratory research and commercial deployment. As a result, demonstration and pilot stages are often bypassed, leading to fragmented outcomes where researchers can churn out prototypes and patents but cannot scale them commercially.

MNRE Invites Research Proposals to Boost Solar Thermal Solutions Adoption

<a href="https://www.fprenergy.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FPR Energy</a>, a venture from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has secured A$15 million (~$10 million) in seed funding to commercialize next-generation solar thermal technology. The company was launched in collaboration with advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and electric utility Osaka Gas.
FPR Energy aims to cut emissions in heavy industries such as minerals refining, steel, cement, and chemical production using CSIRO’s particle-based Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology.
According to the company, this particle-based CST technology uses low-cost ceramic particles to store sunlight as heat and can produce temperatures up to 1200 °C, enabling long-duration energy storage to support industrial processes, green fuel production, and reliable, dispatchable power.
Headquartered at CSIRO’s Energy Centre in Newcastle, FPR Energy is built on CSIRO’s particle receiver technology research program, developed through the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute (ASTRI), with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
“FPR Energy is building on years of solar thermal research, demonstrating CSIRO’s commitment to supporting emissions reduction using impact-focussed science and technology. Diversifying the way, we harness Australia’s abundant solar resources will help develop a low-carbon economy and support economic growth and job creation in the Hunter region. Helping heavy industries transition to cleaner energy sources is essential to reaching Australia’s net-zero emission targets,” said Dr Daniel Roberts, CSIRO Energy Technologies Research Director.
planning to develop a 50 MW thermal demonstration plant, with up to 16 hours of integrated thermal energy storage, to prove the commercial viability of its CST technology at a utility scale.
According to Mercom’s 9M and Q3 2024 Solar Funding and M&amp;A <a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/product/9m-and-q3-2024-solar-funding-and-ma-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, in 9M 2024, VC funding activity decreased 39% YoY, with $3.5 billion raised in 39 deals compared to the $5.7 billion raised in 51 deals in 9M 2023.
In November, Silfab Solar, a solar module manufacturer, <a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/silfab-solar-raises-100-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closed</a> $100 million in new financing to scale its state-of-the-art solar cell manufacturing plant. The funding comprises a $50 million equity investment led by funds advised by ARC Financial.

FPR Energy Secures $10 Million in Seed Funding

The National Institute of Solar Energy (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=nise&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enIN652IN652&amp;oq=nise&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j35i39j0l4.519j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NISE</a>) has written a letter to domestic manufacturers, state nodal agencies, and concerned stakeholders regarding the mandatory testing of concentrated solar thermal (CST) products.
According to the letter, it was noticed that many manufacturers of CST power products had made changes to them without obtaining test reports for the improved systems.
The NISE has also highlighted that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has established the testing of CST technology at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gurugram and Savitribai Phule Pune University. The services that will be provided include:
<ul>
<li>Test facility for testing of hot water/steam-based CST systems</li>
<li>Test facility for testing of thermal oil-based CST systems</li>
<li>Mobile test facility for on-site performance evaluation of CST systems</li>
<li>Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) component test facility</li>
</ul>
Further, NISE has urged all CST manufacturers, stakeholders, new entrepreneurs, and developers to get their products tested and certified through NISE or through Savitribai Phule Pune University on or before December 31, 2019.
In case the manufacturers fail to do so, they would not be able to avail benefits under MNRE’s program for off-grid and decentralized CST technologies for community cooking, process heat, and space heating and cooling applications in industrial, institutional and commercial establishments.
Announced by the MNRE in 2014, this program aims to promote the use of CST technology for reducing dependence on fossil fuels for thermal applications like community cooking, process heating, cooling, and drying.
The program was further extended to 2019-20 to promote the application of solar thermal technology. Through the evaluation study, the MNRE is looking to analyze the effectiveness, impact, and necessity of this initiative. Moreover, the study is expected to help the ministry to decide on how to revise or renew the program.
The letter also mentions names and contact details of designated individuals for the facilitation of testing and certification.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-invites-eoi-solar-thermal-off-grid-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recently</a>, the MNRE issued an expression of interest (EoI) for conducting technical and performance evaluation of its program for off-grid and decentralized concentrated solar thermal technologies.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-drafts-quality-control-order-solar-thermal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">April 2019</a>, the MNRE issued a draft quality control order for solar thermal systems as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act to address the lack of quality certification in solar components, which has become a common concern in the sector.

NISE Writes to Concentrated Solar Thermal Manufacturers for Mandatory Testing

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has launched a loan program to provide easy financing to Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) projects set up under the GEF &#8211; United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) &#8211; Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) program. Through this the IREDA aims to create the necessary enabling environment for scaling up CST technology in India.
Any developer setting up a solar thermal heating/cooling/tri-generation project, according to IREDA guidelines, will be eligible for the benefits under this program and the minimum loan eligibility from IREDA will be Rs.5 million (~$74,187). A rebate of 20 percent will be provided to the beneficiary if the loan agreement is signed within 60 days of the passing of loan.
The GEF-UNIDO-MNRE program aims at helping remove barriers associated with CST, its awareness, capacity building, market, and financial barriers through innovative technical and financial support.
Benefits that the developers can avail under this program include:
<ul>
<li>Soft loan at a low rate of interest (7 percent) for a seven-year period, which will be inclusive of one year moratorium.</li>
<li>Bridge loan will be available at 12 percent interest until project commissioning after which MNRE subsidy will be provided to the developer and the loan will be closed.</li>
<li>Projects will be eligible for interest rebate of 1 percent if the developer can provide Bank Guarantee/Pledge of FDRs as the primary security, equivalent to the amount approved by IREDA for both soft loan and bridge loan.</li>
<li>It will create a single window for multiple funding, developers need to submit just one application to IREDA for MNRE subsidy, IREDA Soft Loan and Bridge Loan.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/IREDA_CST_Loan.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4609" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/IREDA_CST_Loan.png" alt="" width="499" height="186" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/IREDA_CST_Loan.png 499w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/IREDA_CST_Loan-300x112.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 499px) 100vw, 499px" /></a>
The IREDA has also <a href="http://www.ireda.in/writereaddata/Approved%20UNIDo%20Loan%20scheme..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mandated</a> that the supplier must provide additional performance guarantee for a seven-year period or until complete repayment of loan and payment guarantee from the beneficiary. The agency has also asked the promoters to provide an undertaking that in case non–release of capital subsidy, the company will bring in equity to repay IREDA loan.
An official at IREDA commented, “as the country is getting industrialized the industrial cost of power is bound to rise, CST and its large-scale utilization will lead to reduction of both, costs and emissions.” The IREDA’s new loan program has been launched to complement growth of CST in the country.

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