Individuals allowed to set up rooftop solar plants in Haryana

Haryana government has allowed all individuals to install grid connected rooftop solar power plants and power so generated can be sold to either government or third party.
"Haryana government has allowed all individuals to install grid connected rooftop solar power plants of capacity ranging from 1kWp to 1 MWp under net-metering regulations in the state and has also allowed sale of power either to Government or third party from such plants," Haryana Principal Secretary Renewable Energy Department Ankur Gupta said today.
Under the Haryana Solar Power Policy-2016, a total capacity of 1,600 MW rooftop solar power plants would be added by the year 2021-22.

Referring to criteria fixed for the eligibility of the rooftop solar plants, he said solar power plants installed on pucca structure or pucca walls or having electricity connection or installed on any structure or ground within the building or complex premises would be counted as rooftop solar power plant.
However, he said the solar power plant installed on the shelter, cantilever, periphery sheds, on any part of the building or structure, would also be counted as rooftop solar power plant.
Solar power plants installed on agricultural land would not be counted as the rooftop solar power plant.

However, the solar power plant installed on the roof of the building constructed on the agricultural land would be counted as rooftop solar power plant, he said.

Permission for setting up rooftop solar power plants would not be required from the building plan sanctioning authority.
He said cost of solar power is on the declining trend whereas the cost of fossil fuel based electricity is increasing day by day.
A typical 100 KW solar power plant costs about Rs 62 lakh, the pay back period is about four to five years and life of the system is more than 25 years.
The government is also providing 30 per cent subsidy, maximum Rs 20,000 per kWp, on installation of solar power plants for certain categories of buildings.