MNRE Issues Benchmark Costs for Rooftop Solar Installations

MNRE has issued the latest benchmark costs for installation of new grid-tied rooftop solar plants for the financial year.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a notification with the latest benchmark costs for installation of new grid-tied rooftop solar PV plants for the present financial year.

As per the notification, projects with a capacity of above 1 kW and up to 10 kW, the benchmark cost has been set at Rs 54/W, or Rs 54,000 per kW. This benchmark cost has been reduced by Rs 6/W when compared to the cost set in the previous fiscal in which such projects attracted a benchmark cost of Rs 60,000 per kW. Which happened to be, Rs 10/W lower than the previous year i.e. 2017.

However, the cost of installation, in special category states which include North-Eastern states, Uttarakhand, Himachal and the Islands, has been set at Rs 59/W or effectively Rs 59,000 per kW.

Similarly, for projects over 10 kW and up to 100 kW, the cost has been set at Rs 48/W or Rs 48,000/kW. A drop of Rs 7,000/kW from the last financial year. Lastly, for projects over 100 kW and up to 500 kW, a benchmark cost of Rs 45,000/kW will be applicable, down from Rs 53,000/kW last year.

The new benchmark costs will apply to all the implementing agencies which are involved in developing rooftop solar projects.

Recently, we reported that the Indian solar rooftop market crossed 4 GW in total capacity by Mar 31, 2019, reaching a total of 4,375 MW, according to Bridge to India’s (BTI) India Solar Rooftop Map 2019. The lion’s share of this capacity comes from the industrial segment that contributed 2,140 MW to the total while 926 MW came from the commercial segment.

Despite the government’s push the residential market continues to lag behind – it added 690 MW although it fared a tad better than the public sector that pooled in 619 MW by the reporting date. Out of the total installed capacity, 29% of systems are more than 1 MW in size.