'Many metros yet to meet rooftop solar power targets'

NEW DELHI: Despite several plans and lucrative incentives on paper, leading metropolitan cities of the country, including Delhi, have fallen short of meeting their rooftop solar targets, a recent survey shows.

According to the survey, while residential solar projects in Delhi have not taken off prominently, other states are yet to make any significant progress.

"While the country has made good progress on reaching its 60 GW utility-scale solar PV target, leading to falling tariffs and cheaper electricity for consumers, progress in the rooftop segment has been tepid. Given the obvious land constraints in large-scale solar faces, it

is important that enough policy support is also paid to a rooftop and decentralised solar power stations, both off the grid

and grid-connected," the

report stated.

"Rooftop power station will have a key role to play as India looks to decarbonise its electricity sector and tackle air pollution, a significant portion of which is caused by coal-fired power plants generating electricity," it noted.

It added that according to Global Burden of Diseases Study, air pollution accounts for 1.2 million deaths in India every year, costing India three per cent of its GDP.

While the state and central governments are yet to recognise air pollution as a national health emergency, it is important that Indians take initiative and move away from thermal power, the survey pointed out.

It added that solar policies have already been put in place by many state governments and citizens must shed their inhibitions and avail their benefits.

"All major metros are far from meeting rooftop solar targets, as laid down by state governments and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This is despite a significant national incentive in the form of a 30 per cent capital subsidy, and a range of state incentives and schemes. As of December 2016, India's total installed rooftop solar capacity was estimated at 1,247 MW.2," another report noted.

In 2016, the Delhi government released the Delhi Solar Policy 2016, applicable for the 2016-2020 period.

The policy focuses on promoting an investment climate that enables multiple financial models, from self-owned (CAPEX) to third-party owned (RESCO) models.