 The Ministry has recently launched a “Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Program” to promote solar rooftop systems in the residential, commercial, industrial and institutional establishments. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of state for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge) in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
Under the program, the Ministry provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) upto 30% of the project cost limited to benchmark cost of Rs. 100 per Watt for grid connected rooftop Solar Power Plants. The Minister further stated that the Government is taking following major steps to encourage the solar power generation in the country: (i) A National Solar Mission is being implemented to give a boost to solar power generation in the country, with a long-term goal of adding 20,000 MWp of grid-connected solar power by 2022, to be achieved in 3 phases (1st phase up to 2012-13, 2nd phase from 2013 to 2017 and the 3rd phase from 2017 to 2022). (ii) An enabling policy and regulatory environment has been created through measures like Solar specific Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs) under National Tariff Policy {0.25% in Phase 1 (2013) to increase to 3% by 2022}, State specific Solar Policies and RPO targets, and Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism. Efforts are being made to ensure compliance by DISCOMs and obligated entities. (iii) Fiscal and financial incentives in the form of accelerated depreciation, concessional/ nil customs and excise duties, preferential tariffs and generation based incentives are being provided to improve the viability of the solar power generation units. (iv) Capital subsidy is being provided for off-grid/ decentralized solar power generation systems. (v) A scheme for setting up Grid-connected Solar PV Power projects of 750 MWp aggregate capacity with Viability Gap Funding from NCEF is being implemented. |
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