Delhi Cabinet approves rooftop solar scheme

Under the scheme, the Delhi government will provide a generation-based incentive (GBI) of Rs 2 (US$0.027) per unit against the initial solar power generation cost of Rs 3 ($0.041) per unit. In effect, the consumer will pay just Rs 1 ($0.014) per unit for five years.

This is not the first time the state government has offered electricity subsidies. Under the Delhi Solar Policy 2016, the Rs 2 per unit subsidy was valid for just three years. As the scheme did not find many takers, the government has now extended it from three to five years.

Chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Cabinet also approved half-yearly, instead of annual, disbursal of GBI by discoms.

Addressing a press conference, Power Minister Satyendar Jain said that group housing societies that wish to participate in the scheme will not have to pay the installation costs, which will instead be borne by the company.

“The cost of solar power will also depend on the space provided by the society for the installation of solar panels. In case the society provides more space for solar panels than its requirement, they will get the benefit in return in terms of further reduction in the price of solar power,” Jain said.

The Delhi government is also planning a Solar Rooftop Demand Aggregation Program, which will benefit consumers, including residential, schools, hospitals, and municipal segments with an expected aggregated demand of 40 MW using the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model.

Delhi has an installed solar capacity of 100 MW, of which 5 MW is in the domestic sector. The state aims to generate 1 GW by 2020 and 2 GW by 2025 through rooftop solar installations.