On paper, the Delhi Government’s new and ambitious solar policy effectively tackles both the national capital’s skyrocketing electricity demand as well as its needs for clean energy. Now, it has to be effectively implemented
The ambitious solar policy recently announced by the Delhi Government has energised the renewable energy scenario and in the process set a benchmark for other cities to follow suit. The policy presented by the Delhi Dialogue Commission aims at achieving a target of one giga-watt (GW) or 1,000 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar installation by 2020 and two gigawatts by 2025. The policy also makes it solar panels mandatory on Government-owned, commercial and residential buildings.
The exhaustive policy can help the Delhi Government develop a true solar city that accords priority to green and clean energy. Incidentally, the policy sets the highest target fixed by any State till date in India for rooftop solar power plants.
The policy not only addresses access to loans, but also provides a generation-based incentive (GBI) of two rupees per solar unit generated for the first three years of the policy period. This incentive makes investment in rooftop solar infrastructure more attractive and financially viable.
If the policy is implemented in its true spirit, the capital’s energy deficiency may soon be a thing of the past. In its vision, the solar city initiative is not only similar to the smart city concept but also merges seamlessly with it, as renewable energy has to be the foundation for any smart city.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) must provide continuity to this initiative by helping to extend this policy to other states. Moreover, in many prior instances, Government, institutional and commercial buildings have requested for exemptions from such policies.
In the best interests of the policy and its effective implementation, the MNRE and Delhi Government must ensure that no exemption requests are entertained, as this will hamper the targets set by the State Government.
In spire of the grave adverse environmental consequences, thermal power has been the energy backbone of India for far too long. Even though renewable energy has made much progress in the recent decade, the dependence on thermal energy has not changed. The present policy initiative can change this, provided the implementation is exceptionally comprehensive.
The proposed policy mandates solar rooftop installations for Government buildings and for the commercial and residential buildings that are constructed after September 1, 2015.
Existing commercial and residential buildings have huge solar energy cultivation potential, but the policy planners have not made any mandatory recommendations for existing structures to install solar panels. Installation of solar plants on the majority of rooftops is an effective way to manage the peak load for the State.
According to the projections in the policy, rooftop solar will cater to 21 per cent of the peak load demand by 2024-25. Mandatory inclusion of existing structures for installation of solar panels could have helped capitalise the opportunity for power generation, besides making the policy more comprehensive.
The residential power tariff mechanism in Delhi is slab-based under which the consumer drawing fewer units of power is charged a lower tariff which keeps increasing with rising consumption of units.
As per the solar policy, even after installation of rooftop solar panels and reducing power consumption from the grid, the residential consumers will still be charged on the same slab as before the installation. This may prove to be a major disincentive for residents, unless lower tariff is applied to lower consumption of units.
The Government can further lend a helping hand by providing preferential loans for structural modifications and installation of solar panels in existing structures; this will provide much needed momentum to the initiative.
The Delhi Government must realise that success of a policy lies in its effective implementation. The efforts to ban plastic bags is an apt example of how a well-intended policy can be ineffective if the implementation is below-par.
In order to avoid a policy failure the Government must take the policy to the grassroot level and mobilise public support for it. This can be achieved by conducting awareness programmes through resident welfare associations and NGOs.
As cities brace for never before increase in population, sufficient energy generation that is both sustainable and eco friendly, will be the first major challenge. The Delhi Government’s solar policy is a trailblazing step forward, that effectively synchronises with India’s global climate commitments and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious national solar targets. It is crucial that this policy succeeds in Delhi, thereby, enabling other States and cities to follow in its footsteps.