Govt. to promote grid connected solar rooftop systems.

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Ministry Of New and Renewable Energy is promoting the grid connected solar rooftop systems in the country under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. Central Financial Assistance upto 30 percent of the benchmark cost of the project is provided for setting up of the solar rooftop systems which generate the power and are connected to the grid.

So far, 26.6 MW equivalent grid connected solar rooftop systems have been sanctioned to the Solar Energy Corporation of India and 2.5 MW systems to Ministry of Railways under the National Clean Energy Funds received by the Ministry.

A target of setting up of 10,000 MW Grid connected solar power plants has been set during the current plan period. The major steps taken by the Ministry to augment solar power generation in the country and to achieve the target are as follows:

1. Government has launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) on January 11, 2010. The Mission targets deployment of 20,000 MW of grid connected solar power by 2022 in three phases. An enabling policy & regulatory environment has been created under the Mission to promote grid connected solar power generation.

2. Provision for renewable purchase obligation for solar has been made in the National Tariff Policy.

3. Concessional Import duty/Excise duty exemption for setting up of solar power plants, accelerated depreciation and tax holiday.

4. Generation based incentive and facility for bundled power for Grid connected Solar Power Projects through various interventions announced from time to time, besides, viability Gap Funding support from National Clean Energy Fund.

5. Awareness programmes such as exhibitions, training workshop etc. are being conducted.

This information was given by the minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Source : ciol.com