Finally, National Solar Rooftop Portal A Reality In India

The success of decentralized solar power generation largely depends on the public policy. On the same lines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a National Portal for Rooftop Solar, which will enable online tracking of the process of installation of rooftop solar plants for individual customers or households. The portal will keep a track of entire process beginning from registering the applications to release of subsidy in residential consumers’ bank account after installation and inspection of the plant. The Programme will benefit more than 10 lakh households. Promised for some time now, a single window portal of this type is much needed in the solar rooftop space where customers have faced multiple hurdles to fulfil their dreams of harnessing solar power.

Simple and Meaningful for Customers

With the launch of this Portal, it will be very simple for a residential consumer to apply and get solar rooftop solar installed. A customer will have the choice to select any vendor who is registered with the local distribution company, solar modules of equality and efficiency, solar inverter and other equipment.

To make it simple, the following seven steps are all needed to be remembered for a household:

• The consumer has to register his mobile and e-mail and activate the account at https://solarrooftop.gov.in/
• Log-in and submit application. The application will be automatically forwarded to local distribution company for technical feasibility approval as per the prevailing regulations of the State.
• Once the technical feasibility approval is given, it will be automatically reflected in the Portal and an e-mail will also be sent to the consumer.
• The consumer can get the rooftop solar system installed and submit the details on the online Portal for inspection and installation of net-meter.
• The DISCOM officials will inspect the installation and will install net-meter.
• After the net-meter is installed and details uploaded by DISCOM, the consumer can submit bank account details for release of subsidy.
• The subsidy will be released directly into the bank account of the consumer within 30 days. The rate of subsidy will be common for all the consumers in the country.

The government has a special focus in designing the national rooftop portal on the protection of the interest of consumers. A vendor will have to get registered at the DISCOM and also maintain the rooftop solar system for at least five years. In the simplified procedure, DISCOMS need not invite tender, discover rates and empanel vendors. Also the vendors need not to wait for the release of subsidy from the Ministry rather they can get the full amount from the consumer as the consumer will be getting subsidy directly into his bank account.

The Power Minister says that this simplification will fasten the installation of rooftop solar in the country and the targeted 4,000 MW capacity under the Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II would be achieved. With the installation of rooftop solar, a household consumer will not only save on electricity bill but will also be able to contribute towards addition of green energy and achieving of national goals.

Registration of Vendors

The registration of vendors with the distribution company has also been made simple. Vendors have to just submit a declaration along with a PBG amount of Rs. 2.5 lakh and they will get registered.

These vendors will also get access to provide their information and rates on the National Portal so that any consumer willing to install rooftop solar can contact them and get the rooftop solar installed through mutually agreed rates. The process of registration of the application to release of subsidy in the bank account of the consumer can be tracked online on the Portal.

The only thing missing currently seems to be a fixed time limit for completion of formalities at the DISCOM end, which we hope will be talen up soon based on the experience and learnings from the initial batch of customers. All in all, the solar rooftop portal offers a great opportunity for clarity and ease of doing business for consumers and vendors alike.