India’s small northern state increase solar target by 150% giving equal importance to Rooftop Solar
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April 13, 2016Rooftop Solar in Haryana
India’s small northern state of Haryana, which is located adjacent to the capital Delhi has been a bit slow in installing and using solar power. Despite a policy enacted in 2014 which set a target of 1300 MW of solar power by 2022, the implementation has been tardy. The government had made it mandatory to install rooftop solar, but the whole installer system was unready resulting in almost negligible compliance. The policy was good, but implementation was extremely bad.
Now the government has modified the policy and increased the target by almost 150% to 3200 MW. The policy also spells out that the rooftop solar segment should account for 50% of the target achievement that is 1600 MW. The government will give some sops, such as a single window clearance for all regulations and permits. The government has also made it mandatory for all connected loads with a certain size, to use rooftop solar for meeting a part of their electricity requirements.
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Haryana had recently come out with a 200 MW solar tender, which had been won by the AB group. What was interesting was the solar power would be generated by the AB group in the neighboring state of Rajasthan and transmitted to Haryana. This was done as the land prices are quite expensive in Haryana. While the new policy is good, the implementation will be the key for the state. How is it going to find the land to develop solar parks and how will it manage to push residential and industrial sectors to switch to solar power.
Read about Mini Solar Boom in Haryana.
Net metering will also be an important consideration, while the state government should also give some funds for implementation. The last policy had said that support for building the rooftop solar systems should be taken from the central subsidy scheme. However that was a misplaced piece of advice, since MNRE did not have any funds at that time to give the capital subsidy.
The Haryana government has not been a good government and most of the progress seen in the state has been due to its proximity to Delhi. This has allowed it to develop real estate and gain tax revenues from the same. The less said about the development of the rest of the state the better. Most leaders have been cattiest and corrupt politicians, which has failed the state to realize its true potential. There had been high hopes that the new BJP government would lead to good governance, but the past two years have belied hopes. The implementation has been extremely tardy, with lack of infrastructure development.