Wednesday, November 13, 2013: There are questions rising if there will be any takers among domestic consumers of electricity for a battery-less rooftop solar power system. The reason it is coming up is because some section of manufacturers of solar power products have showed concern over certain aspects of the State government’s scheme of subsidy for domestic consumers, for those who choose to install rooftop solar power systems.
According to the government’s scheme, a capital incentive of Rs. 20,000 will be offered to a domestic consumer who wants to install a 1-kilo watt (KW) battery-less solar rooftop photo-voltaic system. This system will be connected to the grid of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO). Additionally, a 30 per cent subsidy will be given from the Union government.
In this year, 5,000 domestic consumers will be shortlisted initially as part of the State government’s scheme. The approximate cost of a battery-less solar power system is Rs 1,00,000, in which a beneficiary will have to spend only Rs 50,000 and rest will be given by the schemes of the Central and State governments. The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA), which will implement the State government’s incentive scheme, will coordinate with the Centre in getting the subsidy amount, reported The Hindu.
Commenting on the view of select manufacturers, K.E. Raghunathan, managing director of Solkar Solar Industry told Hindu, “The battery-less system would be suitable where there are no power cuts. His point is that when there is no grid power or power supply from the TANGEDCO, the system will not generate electricity. Only when there is grid power, solar power will be fed to the grid. This is why he insists on a rooftop solar power system with battery.”
An official close to the matter said that it is important to consider the main objective behind the installation of rooftop solar power systems. To cater to the problem of load shedding, one can even opt for an inverter, which will cost Rs 15k. In that case, one doesn’t need a battery-less rooftop solar power system, which costs Rs 1,00,000. However, the main purpose is to promote use of renewable energy.
Another issue is the availability of energy meters for the solar systems. The official said that the meters will be part of the systems to be provided by vendors to beneficiaries. Such vendors will soon be empanelled by the TEDA and they will indicate their cost of the systems, the report added.
While there are others who praise the initiative, Vineeth Vijayaraghavan, who is an advocate of renewable energy has one suggestion to make. He feels that there should be a provision for offsetting the loss of generated solar power that could go unconsumed in times of load shedding.
