Rooftop solar: Govt may allow installations up to 500 kW
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Rooftop solar: Govt may allow installations up to 500 kW

The Ministry of Power (MoP) has proposed to allow rooftop solar installations up to 500 kW capacity to be billed under net metering.

If the proposal is approved, rooftop solar consumers will receive higher tariffs from power distribution companies (discoms) for the surplus power sold to the discoms.

The MoP released a draft amendment to the Rights of Consumer rules, which it had laid down in December 2020, where the relaxation of the rooftop solar installation capacity has been proposed.

The earlier version of the consumer rights rules, which allowed net metering for only up to 10 kW rooftop capacities, impedes the pace of capacity addition of rooftop solar in the country disincentivising commercial and industrial users from installing such power generation capacities in their premises.

Consumers can earn around Rs 7 per unit by selling the surplus power generated from their rooftop solar plants through net metering. But under the December 2020 mandate, they were to be billed through gross metering and compensated at around Rs 3.5–Rs 4 per unit.

The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) had requested the MoP to amend the provision on gross metering for larger rooftop consumers, pointing out that investment to the tune of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore is either under contract or under commissioning phase for such rooftop capacities and the new mandate will create uncertainty and impact the ongoing projects. Out of the total solar capacity of 36.9 GW, only 3.4 GW currently comes from rooftop solar.

Image Source


Also read: World Bank to offer $648 mn to India for rooftop solar

The Ministry of Power (MoP) has proposed to allow rooftop solar installations up to 500 kW capacity to be billed under net metering. If the proposal is approved, rooftop solar consumers will receive higher tariffs from power distribution companies (discoms) for the surplus power sold to the discoms. The MoP released a draft amendment to the Rights of Consumer rules, which it had laid down in December 2020, where the relaxation of the rooftop solar installation capacity has been proposed. The earlier version of the consumer rights rules, which allowed net metering for only up to 10 kW rooftop capacities, impedes the pace of capacity addition of rooftop solar in the country disincentivising commercial and industrial users from installing such power generation capacities in their premises. Consumers can earn around Rs 7 per unit by selling the surplus power generated from their rooftop solar plants through net metering. But under the December 2020 mandate, they were to be billed through gross metering and compensated at around Rs 3.5–Rs 4 per unit. The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) had requested the MoP to amend the provision on gross metering for larger rooftop consumers, pointing out that investment to the tune of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore is either under contract or under commissioning phase for such rooftop capacities and the new mandate will create uncertainty and impact the ongoing projects. Out of the total solar capacity of 36.9 GW, only 3.4 GW currently comes from rooftop solar. Image Source Also read: World Bank to offer $648 mn to India for rooftop solar

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Next Story
Real Estate

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?