Chandigarh’s Total Solarification Faces Multiple Hurdles

The installation of solar power plants on the rooftops was made mandatory for all non-residential a well as residential buildings whose area around them is 1 Kanal and above, and the deadline for installation was set 17 May 2018 but was later extended by six months.

Although it was made mandatory by the Chandigarh Administration to install solar photovoltaic rooftop power plants, it seems there are bottlenecks that are hampering the total solarification of the city. Technical glitches along with high-cost installation are some of the factors hindering the process.

The installation of solar power plants on the rooftops was made mandatory for all non-residential a well as residential buildings whose area around them is 1 Kanal and above, and the deadline for installation was set 17 May 2018 but was later extended by six months.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy guidelines say that to avail subsidy the electricity connection of the house has to be in the name of the applicant. In Chandigarh, a large number of owners of houses do not have the electricity connection in their name.

“In a large number of cases, after death of parents, who are the original allottees, their children did not get the electricity connection transferred in their names as a result of which they are not eligible to avail subsidy,” rued J S Gogia, general secretary of Federation of Sectors’ Welfare Associations, Chandigarh, (Foswac). To get electricity connection transferred, one has to undergo a tedious process, it was added.

The high cost of solar power plants has emerged as one of the key stumbling blocks. Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) has fixed rates at which resident can get solar plants from impanelled agencies. For installing solar power plant capacity ranging between 1 KW to up to 5 KW, one has to shell out Rs 60,000.

The residents are also facing problem in installing solar power plants due to stringent building bye-laws. The residents have urging the administration to relax the norms related to access to the rooftop. Mumty is not allowed on the marla houses, while solar water heating system, solar photovoltaic power plant are allowed within the service zone.

Source: ET