Tariff modelling for Solar, Wind and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects is becoming a critical enabler for the SAARC region. As Member States scale up variable renewable energy and storage, procurement is moving beyond plain solar and wind towards firm, dispatchable supply. This is making tariff design and project bankability more complex. The objective of this webinar was to introduce participants to the tariff modelling approaches and procurement practices followed in India. It covered the evolution from regulator-determined tariffs to competitively bid tariff discovery, the modelling of solar, wind, solar-plus-BESS and standalone BESS projects, and the contractual, network-access and risk-allocation frameworks that underpin bankable renewable energy procurement.
The webinar was conducted by SEC on 12th November 2026. During the webinar, the expert from India discussed the history of wind and solar tariff setting in India, from cost-plus, regulator-determined tariffs to competitive bidding. He also covered the tariff trends in solar, wind, solar-plus-BESS and standalone BESS auctions, including the capacity-payment (tolling) structure used for standalone storage and the key parameters in storage tariff modelling, such as round-trip efficiency, degradation, cycle life and augmentation. He then explained the emerging category of Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy, covering load-following, peak-supply, round-the-clock and thermal-mimic products, and the difference between Capacity Utilisation Factor and Demand Fulfilment Ratio. He proposed a three-layer modelling framework linking physical operation, contract settlement and project finance, and addressed network access, schedule deviation settlement and curtailment risks. He concluded with lessons for SAARC Member States, including aligning contract complexity with local forecasting and settlement capability, allocating risks to the parties best able to manage them, and monitoring actual project delivery after the auction.
The Concept Note, Presentation and video link of the webinar are given below:
- Concept Note, Click Here
- Presentation by Mr. Ashwin Gambhir, India, Click Here
- Webinar Video, Click Here
You may submit comments, views and/or observations on the webinar to SAARC Energy Centre through email to Mr. Ahsan Javed, Program Leader (ahsan@saarcenergy.org).