Co-op societies can now get solar panels set up on rooftops for free
Co-op societies can now get solar panels set up on rooftops for free
NEW DELHI: Cooperative group housing societies (CGHS) in the capital will now be able to install solar panels on the rooftops of their buildings without spending a single penny. This has been made possible through the Mukhyamantri Solar Power Scheme that was approved by the Delhi cabinet on Tuesday. The scheme is applicable to both group housing societies and independent houses.
Delhi power minister Satyendar Jain said the housing societies will have to sign a tripartite agreement with Delhi government and the service provider for installation of solar panels under Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. The installation cost would be borne by the private company.
“If the housing societies provide more space for installing solar panels than their requirement, the cost of energy consumed by them would come down further as the companies will be able to sell the additional power to the grid,” Jain said.
CGHS will be able to utilise the energy produced to light up common areas, run elevators and water pumps, among other activities by paying just Rs 1 per unit. Though solar energy generation would cost about Rs 3 per unit, Delhi government will give a generation-based incentive (GBI) of Rs 2 on each unit of electricity consumed by the housing societies.
In the case of independent house owners, the installation cost of Rs 45,000-55,000 will have to be borne by them. Though the government will not be a part of the agreement signed between the house owner and service provider, it will still provide GBI of Rs 2. Additional energy generated through the solar panels can be sold to the grid, the minister said.
The solar panels will be installed at a height of 2.4m (8 feet) so that the terrace of an individual house or group housing societies can be used for other purposes.
Since the notification of Delhi Solar Policy 2016, only 100-odd MW of solar energy is produced in the capital. Most solar panels are installed on government buildings, like DMRC, DJB and technical institutions, apart from Mandoli Jail, Azadpur Mandi, Dwarka courts, schools, Dilli Haat and bus depots. A few housing societies and individual houses collectively produce about 5MW of solar power. “Under the new scheme, we hope to have 100MW plants in the next one year,” Jain said.
Though Delhi government made a provision of Rs 60 crore as GBI in its budget in the past three years, it paid only Rs 2.84 lakh and Rs 50 lakh in 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively. While the government had envisaged installation of plants with a capacity of 76MW, only 5MW have been installed so far.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
