Generally, about 10 sq.m area is required to set up 1 kilowatt grid-connected rooftop solar system
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Chennai: The state government's decision to make rooftop solar installations compulsory for high- rise buildings and group development projects would provide a much needed push for harnessing sun power and also help the state achieve an ambitious target of 3,500 mw by 2022 set by MNRE.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had informed the Assembly that amendments would be done in development regulations to make installation of solar rooftop systems compulsory in multistorey buildings and group development projects in the state. The announcement has come in the wake of the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) recommending amendment in building norms for mandatory provision of rooftop solar cells for new constructions.
MNRE has set a year wise target ranging from 15 MW in 2015-16 to 790 MW in 2021-22 for the state to achieve 3,500 MW solar rooftop installation. Tamil Nadu has the second highest installation of rooftop solar systems in the country after Maharashtra, according to a report Bridge to India by a solar energy-consulting firm. Tamil Nadu has a total rooftop installation of 36 MW next only to Maharashtra with 40 mw.
Generally, about 10 sq.m area is required to set up 1 kilowatt grid-connected rooftop solar system. The average cost of such a system is around '80 per watt. P. Ashok Kumar, president of Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Developers Association, welcomed the proposal saying it would encourage domestic and commercial consumers to generate their own power and the surplus power could be diverted to meet growing demand of industry.
"The unused roof space in the domestic and commercial buildings can be used for installing solar rooftop systems. The power generated through such rooftop systems can be consumed by them and the excess energy can be feed into the grid making use of net metering facility," he told DC.
Mr Ashok kumar said that penetration of rooftop solar installation is so high in Germany as it meets 30 per cent of total power demand. “Tamil Nadu has 300 clear sunny days in a year. Installation of rooftop solar systems will not only help generate green power but also help reduce electricity bill,” he said, demanding that the state government launch a massive awareness campaign on benefits of solar rooftop systems.
He urged the government to extend net metering facility to private educational institutions to promote rooftop solar system in the state. “The government and aided educational institutions are allowed to install net metering facility while private educational institutions were excluded,” he said, adding that mandatory solar rooftops in high-rise building and extension of net metering to private institutions would help state achieve MNRE’s target.
Tamil Nadu electricity consumers association president S. Dinakaran demanded that the state government make available bank loans for those willing to install rooftop system.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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