India has set a target of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030, with solar making up the largest share. SECI alone has tendered over 60 GW of solar capacity. State agencies, NTPC, and the PM Surya Ghar scheme add to a massive tender pipeline that spans everything from gigawatt-scale solar parks to rooftop installations on government buildings.
Key Issuing Agencies
- SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) — central agency for large-scale solar auctions. Grid-connected solar, wind-solar hybrid, battery storage.
- NTPC — has expanded aggressively into solar. Floats tenders for solar parks and floating solar.
- State NREDAs — Nodal Renewable Energy Development Agencies in each state. Manage rooftop solar, decentralized solar.
- KUSUM scheme agencies — state agriculture departments and NREDAs for solar pumps.
- Railways — solar installations on station rooftops, railway buildings.
- Government buildings — CPWD, state PWDs for rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar.
Types of Solar Tenders
- Grid-scale solar parks — 50 MW to 1 GW+. Tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB). Developer builds, operates, sells power at bid tariff.
- Rooftop solar — 1 kW to 500 kW on government buildings. CAPEX (government buys system) or RESCO (developer owns and sells power).
- Solar pumps (KUSUM) — standalone solar pumps for farmers. Procured by state agencies.
- Solar street lighting — municipal corporations and panchayats. High volume, lower value per unit.
- Floating solar — installations on reservoirs and water bodies. Growing segment.
- Battery storage — SECI has started tendering for standalone BESS and solar+storage hybrid projects.
Bid Structure
Large solar tenders typically use one of these models:
- Tariff-based bidding — you bid a per-unit power price (₹/kWh). Lowest tariff wins. 25-year PPA.
- VGF (Viability Gap Funding) — government provides upfront capital subsidy. You bid the lowest VGF requirement.
- EPC tenders — for rooftop and smaller systems, standard engineering-procurement-construction contracts.
- RESCO model — developer builds, owns, maintains the system. Government pays a per-unit rate for power consumed.
PM Surya Ghar Scheme
Launched in 2024, PM Surya Ghar targets 1 crore rooftop solar installations. While primarily residential, it generates significant tenders for panel supply, installation services, and net metering equipment through state distribution companies (discoms).
Entry Points for New Players
- Rooftop solar EPC — lower PQ requirements than grid-scale. Start with government building rooftop tenders from CPWD or state PWDs.
- Solar pump supply — KUSUM scheme creates steady demand. BIS-certified panels and pumps required.
- Solar street lighting — municipal tenders with smaller contract sizes. Good for building a government track record.
Solar Energy Tenders
Search solar tenders from SECI, NTPC, state agencies, and municipal bodies on Tenderkart.
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