The Centre had set a target of 40,000 MW of solar power to be produced by 2022 using grid-interactive rooftop solar projects but little progress has been achieved on that front, primarily because of the reluctance of distribution companies to procure solar power, said a top government official on Wednesday.
The targets were set in 2010 under the first Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.
He pointed that it makes a lot of sense for industrial and commercial consumers to invest in rooftop solar projects because in some states such as Maharashtra, the distribution company tariff per unit is about ₹12. The rooftop helps the consumers reduce the cost to ₹7.
Regulation needed Kapoor said that most State power regulatory bodies have come up with regulations for grid-interactive solar. State Governments have also come up policies for this new source of power. But the procedures and inspections take four to six months before solar power is pumped into the grid.
He said that the grid-interactive rooftop solar projects can’t be pushed by force.