Roof-top solar projects to give a 350 MW boost to country's power grid

Piyush Goyal, minister of state for power, coal and new and renewable energy today said 351.60 MWp aggregate capacity of grid-interactive rooftop solar projects had been sanctioned in the country, with 47.64 MWp having been commissioned in various states.

He added, state electricity regulatory commissions of 20 states have notified a regulatory framework on net-metering / feed-in-tariff to encourage rooftop solar plants. Goyal was responding to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

The minister further stated that the scheme has a provision of subsidy upto Rs24 per Wp for the general category states and Rs26 per Wp in north-eastern states, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, which is about 30 per cent of the benchmark cost of the system.

According to Goyal, the ministry proposes to make the scheme incentive-driven rather than subsidy-driven, and has proposed reducing the subsidy on rooftop solar power plants to 15 per cent from 30 per cent at present due to the reduction in prices of solar panels, the large targets set for rooftop solar power plants and the limited availability of funds.

The scheme encourages various business models including public-private partnerships.

Goyal said the following initiatives had been taken by the government:

• 'Grid connected rooftop and small solar power plants programme' to encourages the installation of solar rooftop systems across the country including various state government agencies.
• Provisions of concessional import duty / excise duty exemption, accelerated depreciation and tax holiday for setting up of grid connected rooftop power plants.
• Encouraging states to come develop a  conducive policy and regulatory framework on net-metering / feed-in-tariff to install rooftop solar power plants.
• Public awareness is being created through electronic and print media, workshops, seminars and capacity building programmes.