In Short – In a significant shift towards renewable energy, 9,300 households have expressed interest in adopting solar power. This growing enthusiasm highlights the increasing awareness and commitment to sustainable living, reducing dependence on traditional energy sources, and contributing to a greener environment. The move underscores the potential of solar energy in transforming residential energy consumption and promoting eco-friendly practices.
In Details – In a leg up to the generation of renewable energy in Goa, over 9,300 households have registered for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana for which the operational guidelines were finalised last week and all-India rollout began just lately. Of the total registrations, the scheme as of now will generate 3,508 kw of solar power from 374 households which submitted applications, disclosed a senior official from the GEDA on Monday. He said that 59 solar equipment with a total capacity of 497 kw have already been installed under the scheme.
The Muft Bijlee scheme offers electricity at low cost to 10 million households across the country, with free electricity up to 300 units every month. It aims to encourage solar power generation by household consumers through a subsidy. The scheme replaces the previous Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Phase II Programme which had been going on since 2019. In Goa the phase II programme has been unable to achieve the target of 150 mw of solar power generation set by the government. The state generated only 4.7 million units (mu) of electricity from rooftop solar power and ground-mounted solar plants in 2022-23, as against total consumption of around 4,430.7 mu of electricity.
The PMSG scheme gives higher subsidy of 60% of the benchmark cost of 2kwp as against 50% offered in the earlier scheme. It aims to empower residential households to generate their own electricity and achieve a countrywide target of one crore solar installations with renewable electricity generating capacity of 1,000 billion units in the residential sector by 2027. The Union ministry has said renewable electricity of 1,000 billion units will result in reduction of 720 million tonne of CO2eq emission during the 25 years of lifetime for the rooftop solar projects. The scheme is not for government organisations, commercial or industrial consumers. To be eligible, consumers have to fund the initial investment.
The solar installation must be grid connected with a valid power connection from the electricity department. Further the system needs to be placed on the rooftop, terrace, balcony or on top of a elevated structure. benchmark cost under the PMSG scheme has been fixed at Rs 50,000 per kw for a one kw system, on which the central financial subsidy amounts to Rs 30,000 per kw. The scheme will be implemented by the electricity department, which will also verify the solar installations.Consumers have the option to forgoing the subsidy under the scheme by enabling the Give It Up option on the national portal.
