After its draft was released in September, the Delhi government is now ready with the final report on the solar policy of the city. According to sources, the Solar Policy is likely to be approved by the Cabinet soon.
Officials informed that the government had received several comments and suggestions from various departments and also that consultations with the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and other stakeholders were on for at least a month.
“Some of the suggestions were indeed valuable and we have made minor changes in the draft policy. Largely, it remains the same,” said a senior official.
“The policy has been cleared by the environment department and is currently with the power department.
Officials said that the chapter on “virtual metering” was the most debated and discussed of all. The virtual net metering clause in the draft policy is expected to enable every resident in Delhi with a shared rooftop to produce solar energy.
It was something which many comments said was in the purview of net metering regulations laid down by the power regulator, said an official. On this, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) confirmed that it is working on the virtual net metering clause. “We have had a couple of meetings with government officials regarding the solar policy.
We are planning to include virtual net metering into the Net Metering Regulations issued by us in 2014.
But, the final outcome will be made public only once the Solar Policy is approved by the Delhi government,” said PD Sudhakar, chairperson, DERC.
Once approved, the new solar power policy is first going to target commercial and government buildings.
The policy shall mandate deployment of solar plants on all government-owned rooftops in the next five years. It would also require the discoms to meet at least 75 per cent of their solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO) within Delhi.
The generation-based incentive for residential consumers installing solar panels on their rooftops is likely to remain as it is in the final report.
Bus stands of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), too, shall generate power as the new policy aims to generate 1,000 MW solar power for the national Capital till 2020.
In September, Delhi Dialogue Commission, an advisory body of the AAP government, had presented a draft policy recommending generation of 1,000 MW solar power capacity for the national Capital by 2020.
Once approved, the new solar power policy is first going to target commercial and government buildings
