Aiming to promote clean energy, a major discom here launched the “country’s first” solar rooftop consumer aggregation programme for residential buildings, which seeks to provide installations at a single point for an entire apartment complex.
The ‘Solar City Initiative – Solarise Dwarka’ was unveiled by Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain.
Taking its commitment to promote renewables to the next level, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), in partnership with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – PACE-D and Indo-German Collaboration (GIZ) launched the ambitious initiative, the BSES said in a statement.
“This path breaking ‘utility anchored rooftop program’ aims to maximise the utilisation of solar rooftop potential in south and west Delhi.
“Unlike conventional methods, under this programme, rooftop solar installations will be provided at a single point for the entire apartment complex. In the first phase (Solarise Dwarka), around 150 societies will be targeted in Dwarka.
Looking at the response, the program will be expanded to other residential segments across BSES,” it said.
Listing the benefits for consumers, the discom said a 1 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop system is expected to generate 4-5 kilowatt hours (kwh) of electricity per day, which corresponds to an average monthly saving of about Rs 750 for a period of 25 years for single-point delivery consumers.
“Moreover, to set up the solar plant, a 30 per cent capital subsidy is provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy along with a Rs 2 per unit generation-based incentive allotted to a limited number of early projects by the Delhi government,” the discom said.
Besides helping the BRPL in meeting its renewable purchase obligation (RPO), the pioneering initiative will help the discom minimise overloading issues in congested areas during the peak summer months.
“It will also help us in achieving capex deferment for line replacement and unplanned grid upgradation intermittently,” the statement said.