Sunday, June 23, 2013: It is sort of free for all scene as private firms, claiming to be the franchises of empanelled solar power companies, are making easy money and doing brisk business in the absence of state approved guidelines to watch their activities. This is putting the consumers in a tight spot as if any project fails, they may have to deal directly with the mother companies that are located in various parts of the country as the projects will be billed in their name, experts have warned.
According to reports, there are as many as 10 agencies that are operating in the city offering solar power solutions. Company officials, however, maintained that they were the franchises of firms approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the rooftop projects.
Further inquiries have also revealed that rooftop home solar power projects were being offered for a price ranging between Rs. 1.25 lakh to 2.30 lakh for a 1kw project in the city.
Companies have also painted different pictures on the subsidies available to customers for the home solar power projects. They are even putting the onus on claiming the subsidies on the customers. The representative of one firm offered to complete the documentation for the process even while asserting that it was the responsibility of the customer to claim the subsidy. Another executive said there was a delay of over three months for obtaining the State subsidy. Some others advised to file online applications with the Ministry for obtaining the benefits.
An executive of a Kalamassery based firm suggested that the customer should register himself with the Agency for Non Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) for availing of the State government subsidy. A representative of a firm located at Kadavanthra asked the customer to be in the waiting list of ANERT for obtaining subsidy. The customer should himself initiate the steps for claiming the central subsidy, he said.
Electronics Bazaar, South Asia’s No.1 Electronics B2B magazine
