Last Updated: 21 Nov 2024

After 24x7 and Free Electricity, now consumer can generate Income as well

A household earns Rs 660 and Rs 0 power bill if ^[1]
a. Consumption: 400 units of power per month
b. Solar Setup: 2 Kilo Watt panel(Generates ~220 units per month)

IMPACT^[2]:

-- ~10,700 rooftop solar power plants already installed
-- Current Solar power generation: 1,500MW (~270MW from rooftop solar & ~1250MW from large systems)
-- ~2500 more plants expected by March 2025

Convenience: Single-window application and tracking site for the installation of rooftop solar panels^[3]

-- Website: https://solar.delhi.gov.in/

Explainer Video by The Quint:

https://youtu.be/gwDWJB0mSVE?si=BLcVqy4tx_wxSYvO

¶ Scheme Features^[1:1]

Launch: 29 Jan 2024 by CM Arvind Kejriwal^[1:2]

• Encourages Maintenance: with people being given incentive for even 1 unit, there is a reason for them to make sure the panels are clean and functioning
• Single-window platform: It will have all the necessary information about solar technology, subsidies, and empaneled vendors
• All government buildings with an area of 500 sq. meter will have to install solar panels in the next 3 years
• 3x Benefits: Delhi Consumers gain under Solar Policy 2024

1. Generation based Incentive (GBI)

• Govt Pays: Delhi government will pay Rs 3 per unit if the solar plant is up to 3KW and Rs 2 per unit for plants between 3 and 5 KW for 5 years
• No minimum generation condition: In the 2016 scheme, one had to produce at least 1,000 units to get paid
• Paid Every Month: Earned amount will be deposited into the consumer’s bank account by the discom every month. Earlier, this amount was transferred only twice a year

Monthly Earning: If consumer installs a 2KW solar panel, which generates around 220 units of solar power per month i.e. Rs 660 per month Payment to consumer

2. Net Metering

• All Solar units produced will also be adjusted against your consumption through net metering
• If Surplus solar energy is generated, it can be exported to the grid
• For example, if you are using 400 units of power per month and generate around 220 units of solar power. These 220 units will be adjusted against your consumption through net metering. i.e. Net Bill of 180 units which is FREE(under 200 units)

Double Benefit: One is also getting paid for these generated 220 Units and also adjusted in net consumption

3. Incentives while installation

• Delhi Government will also give a capital subsidy of Rs 2,000 per kW of installation up to a maximum of Rs 10,000 per consumer
• Centre Government will in addition give subsidy given of Rs 16,000-18,000 per kW

i.e. Total Subsidy of Rs 18,000-20,000 per KW installation

• The community solar model allows groups to set up solar plants on a third-party site and reap the benefits together. Moreover, the peer-to-peer trading model will allow consumers to sell their excess power to other Delhi consumers through a P2P trading platform

¶ Policy Target^[3:1]

• ~20% of Delhi’s electricity is expected to be sourced from Solar by 2027^[1:3]

¶ Solar Policy 2016

• Total 1500MW was generated and
• 12 MW came from Roof Tops
• 7.2% of Delhi's total demand is met via Solar

References:

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1. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/install-rooftop-solar-panels-and-get-zero-electricity-bills-delhi-cm-announces-new-policy-9133730/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhis-solar-revolution-targeting-4500mw-in-3-years/articleshow/114955514.cms ↩︎

3. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/cm-atishi-launches-delhi-solar-portal-9680554/ ↩︎ ↩︎

4. https://delhiplanning.delhi.gov.in/sites/default/files/Planning/chapter_11_0.pdf ↩︎