Regulations for Solar sector in India

Start-ups on Solar Energy Technologies

National Institute of Solar Energy
G.SIVARAMAKRISHNAN
Chartered Engineer
16 December 2021
Enabling infrastructure for Solar PV
Ecosystem

Technology Policy & Regulations

Business Models Access to Finance

India’s Power Sector Structure
REGULATORY FEATURES

Ø Net Metering Energy Accounting

Ø Gross Metering
Ø Wheeling of Power
Ø Connectivity criteria
Ø Energy Accounting, Banking, settlement
Ø Renewable Purchase Obligation/REC
Ø Average Pooled Purchase Cost (APPC)
REGULATORY INTERVENTIONS FOR SOLAR PROMOTION

Ø Determination of Tariff

Ø Specifying RPO

Ø Facilitating grid connectivity

Ø Promotion of development of market.

 NEW POLICY INITIATIVES

Ø Solar-Wind Hybrid - provides a framework for

promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV
hybrid system to help reducing the variability in RE
power and better grid stability.

Ø National Offshore wind energy policy has an

objective to develop the offshore wind energy
along Indian coastline of 7600 km, having potential
of 70 GW.

Ø BESS and RTC projects

IMPORTANT STANDARD BIDDING CRITERIA
Ø Tariff Based Competitive Bidding Process

ØSPGs have been allowed to submit document to

establish possession of 100% of the required land
on or before the Scheduled Commissioning Date.

ØQuantum of Compensation for back-down has been

increased from 50 % to 100%.

ØOpening of LCs by all DISCOMs as Payment Security

Mechanism under PPA
 Energy Conservation Building Code
(ECBC) 2017
• Applicable to Commercial Buildings above 100
KW/120 KVA

• ECBC Building - Min electricity to be generated

- 2% of CL (3% in specific cases)

• Super ECBC Building - Min electricity to be

generated - 4% of CL (6% in specific cases)
 Other Policy measures

Depreciation benefits

Purchase preference for products/services

with higher local contents in Domestic
Bidding

Reduced lending rates

 CSR initiatives in Solar
Companies are • Powering class
mandated by the rooms
government to
contribute a portion of
• Solar Rickshaws
their earnings towards • Community
the improvement of irrigation
underprivileged • Microgrids
societies.
• Street lights
 Policy Supports - Solar Power Packs
• MNRE Tech Specs

• Benchmark prices

• RESCO model with

10/15 yrs
levellised tariff
and CFA
 Policy Supports - Solar Street Lighting
• MNRE Technical Spec
• Rs 25k Benchmark price
• Atal Jyoti Yojna (AJAY)
• Phase 1 - 1,45,000 (completd)
• Phase 2 - 3,04,500 (ongoing)
• 1,36,000 completed
• Phase 3 - 3,00,000 (scheduled)
Policy Supports - Solar Water Heater
Mandatory
installation for
Schools, Hotels,
Hospitals and
residences above
2000 sft roof area

Accelerated
Depreciation available
Policy Supports - Solar Pumping
• PM Kisan Urja Suraksha
Even Utthan Mahabhiyan
(KUSUM) Yojna launched
in Jul 2019
• 17.5 Lakh standalone
pumps upto 7.5 HP
• 10 Lakh Grid connected
pumps upto 7.5 HP
• CFA / Benchmark prices
 Facilitating Grid Connectivity (Roof Top)

• Plant capacity between 1 kW-1000 kW

• Cumulative capacity not to exceed DT/feeder
capacity
• Limited to sanctioned CL or CD, as applicable.
• Net Energy Metering (NEM)
• Wheeling of Power to another premise
• Banking facility
• Prosumer exempted from charges towards
transmission, wheeling, CSS under NEM
 MNRE Benchmark prices 2021-22
(Exclusive of GST)

1 kW Rs 46,923 per kW
1 kW to 2 kW Rs 43,140 per kW
2 kW to 3 kW Rs 42,020 per kW
3 kW to 10 kW Rs 40,991 per kW
10 kW to 100 kW Rs 38,236 per kW
100 kW to 500 kW Rs 35,886 per kW
 MNRE CFA on RT Solar
• CFA only for the residential sector
• CFA @ 40 % of benchmark cost upto 3 kW.
• CFA @ 20% of benchmark cost for 3 to10 kW.
• CFA limited to 20% for Group Housing Societies /
Residential Welfare Associations (GHS/RWA).
However, the capacity eligible for CFA for
GHS/RWA will be limited to 10 kW per house
with max capacity upto 500 kWp,inclusive of
individual houses.
 Facilitating Grid connectivity
(Large SPV)
• Prosumer having SPV Systems with
capacity > 1 MW at his premise for his own
use.
• SPV installed by a Captive consumer, at a
location different from the location of its
usage.
• SPV installed as an Independent power
producer, for third party sale.
 Safety Regulations
CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric supply)
Regulations , 2010 with amendments in 2015 and
2018. Amendment 2015 says :
"The capacity above which generating units including
generating units producing electricity from renewable
sources of energy will be required to be inspected by
the Electrical Inspector before commissioning as per
the notification to be issued by the Appropriate
Government under the sub-section (1) of section 162
of the Act."
 SUMMARY OF SRTPV REGULATIONS
Metering Net / Gross

Feasibility Min / Max capacity

Aggregate Capacity Cum. Capacity on DT /

Feeder
Connectivity Level Voltage at POC

Energy Tariffs Net Metering / FIT

Settlement period Monthly / Annual

 Electrical Safety Regulations

CEA (Measures relating to Safety and

Electric supply) Regulation :
"The capacity above which generating
units producing electricity from
renewable sources of energy will be
required to be inspected by the Electrical
Inspector before commissioning"
 Safety Procedures of EI

• Scheme approval
• Installation inspection
• Energisation Certificate

IR values Earthing
Protection scheme LightningProtection
Anti Islanding
 Questions

Thank you
gskrishnan@gmail.com
94477 52015