Solar power all set to heat things up as state pushes the rooftop scheme

Chennai:

After making rain water harvesting a mass movement, the state government is now working towards a mass revolution in generating solar power from the rooftops, according to chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency Sudeep Jain

Hit hard by a power crisis, the state is focusing on the renewable energy and has now embarked on a major solar energy initiative by announcing the Solar energy Policy and trying to generate 3,000 MW in next years, said Jain. Interestingly, the solar home lighting is being installed in three lakh houses under the Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Scheme (CMSPGHS) and will be completed by 2015-16.

Interestingly, the state’s new solar policy has created huge interest among investors which could be seen by the huge participation of delegates during the RENERGY 2013, International Conference and expo on Renewable energy, Tamil Nadu.

The state’s keenness to become a leader in solar energy could be seen as it has even started working out a certification mechanism for solar installation while the Union government is yet to think of it.

Even the private sector feels the new solar policy and various incentives, including Rs 20,000 incentive for solar energy producers would lure investors. Chief executive officer of Consul Consolidated Sriram Ramakrishnan says that the announcement of subsidies would boost investment in solar energy in the state. Interestingly, Ramakrishnan feels solar will the buzzword and it will outdo wind energy in the future.

Tarun Kapoor, the joint secretary of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said that the solar energy in India has entered the second phase and is set to scale up. Jain said the first phase had been a learning curve and rooftop revolution is taking centre stage. Ashwani Kumar, director MNRE says that challenges before solar energy sector is integration of solar energy with existing system besides training of people.

Vivek Chaturvedi, chief marketing officer Moser Baer Solar, said that there is a perception that solar is expensive and complicated and stressed the need to clear the misconception besides working towards making it affordable and simple