Karnataka government approves relaxation of Solar Policy

The Karnataka government has recently approved the amendment of the Solar Policy 2014-21. This move will enable the setting up of small solar parks that can generate as much as 25 mw. While the earlier policy mandated that solar parks should generate a minimum of 100 mw, which would require at least 500 acre of land, the revised policy for 25 mw would require only about 100-125 acre. This move will encourage more participation for solar power generation. Further, it has also been mandated to complete solar power grid installation within 18 months from the date of approval. This will help government monitoring and controlling. Moreover, private companies that generate solar power could also explore selling it to private parties or the Government.“We welcome the Karnataka government’s recent amendments to the Solar Policy 2014-21,” says Sunil Rathi, Director, Waaree Energies. “With the Centre’s new and ambitious target of achieving 260 gw of renewable energy capacity by 2024, the aim of setting up solar parks in a decentralised manner comes as an attractive opportunity for potential investors to take up more projects in the state. As Karnataka is a lucrative state for solar adoption with a potential of generating 24,700 mw, this is a move in the right direction. We have always believed that domestic solar players require the support of the Government to ensure a level playing field. Such steps will enable us to tap into the true potential of the Indian solar manufacturing segment.”