Apply online for installation of free rooftop solar panels in Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 13

The UT Administration has asked residents to apply online for the installation of rooftop solar panels free of cost.

Benefits to the consumer

• Zero investment
• Will get cheaper solar power than current applicable tariff
• Zero expense on operation and maintenance of rooftop solar plant till transfer period
• Solar panels act as insulator for the rooftop and will thus directly reduce the A/C load of top floor.
• Proud to be green power generator

The Administration has already approved the scheme to implement rooftop solar project on private residential buildings under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model.

Based on the petition filed by the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), the nodal agency for installation of solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants on rooftops, a hearing was held by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for the approval of RESCO with a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

During the hearing, the JERC directed CREST to first conduct a demand survey for the installation of solar plants on rooftops.

Debendra Dalai, Chief Executive Officer, CREST, said nearly 2,400 SPV power plants were proposed to be installed on a first-come-first-served basis under the scheme.

“The detailed information of the scheme is available on the web portal. Interested consumers can apply on www.solarchandigarh.com. The capacity of plants will be 5kWp to 10kWp for residential sectors and it will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis,” he said.

Under the scheme, a private company will install solar panels without taking any money from house owners. The owners will have to give only space on the rooftop to the firm and they will get electricity at Rs2 per unit less than the existing rates for the next 15 years even if the electricity rate increases. After the completion of the fixed period, the company will hand over the solar plant to the owner. The firm will recover the cost by selling the energy produced from the plant.

With the implementation of the scheme, the UT Administration could achieve a target of generating 69 MW of solar energy by 2022.

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