CHANDIGARH: While the Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (Crest), the nodal agency to install solar plants in Chandigarh, is holding awareness camps and extended deadline for installation of solar plants in residential areas, only 22% houses in city have installed solar rooftop plants till date.
As per the information, before the code of conduct came into force, out of around 7,000 houses (above 500 square yards plots), only 1,565 houses had installed and commissioned solar plants at rooftops.
When contacted, Debendra Dalai, director, UT environment department and CEO Crest, he said the residents’ response for installation of solar plants have increased in the last few months. There are around 7,000 eligible beneficiaries. Though, only 1565 houses have installed solar plants but in total 4,391 beneficiaries have applied for installation of solar plants till March 10 before the code of conduct came into force. Out of these, 4,391 beneficiaries, 1565 have already installed solar plants. They are hopeful that the remaining beneficiaries will also install solar rooftop plants in the coming days, he said.
He further added that Crest has already empanelled 63 contractors to achieve the target. The centre is also providing 30% subsidy to the beneficiaries installing SPV power plants at their residences, he added.
The ministry of new and renewable energy had enhanced the city’s solar power generation target from 50 megawatt (MW) to 69 MW, to be achieved by 2022, through net and gross metering. The Union government had in 2008 selected Chandigarh to be developed as a model solar city with a target of generating 69 MW of solar energy by 2022 through net and gross metering. Till date, the Crest has managed to install plants (commercial and domestic) having capacity of around 25 MW.
The deadline for installing solar rooftop power plants at residential properties was recently extended till June 30. The Chandigarh administration, in a notification issued on May 18, 2016, had made installation of rooftop solar power plants mandatory in residential houses measuring 500 square yards and above and group housing societies. Earlier, the deadline was set for May 6, 2018 but it was further extended to November 17, 2018. But recently, the deadline was extended till June 30.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
