Indian Government May Hike Funding For Rooftop Solar To $770 Million
With an intention to significantly increase the rooftop solar power capacity in the country, the Indian Government may be planning a massive funding boost.
During the the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017), India had planned to spend Rs 600 crore (US$92 million) on expanding rooftop and small-scale solar power projects. However, this planned funding was according to the initial targets set under the National Solar Mission.
Announced in 2009, the National Solar Mission had a target to have 20 GW of grid-connected solar, and 2 GW of distributed solar capacity installed by 2022. The new government, which came to power last year, increased this target to 100 GW, 60 GW through utility-scale projects and 40 GW from rooftop solar power projects (these would probably include both grid-connected as well as off-grid projects).
As a result, the Indian Government is now planning to increase the funding for grid-connected and small-scale solar power projects from Rs 600 crore (US92 million) to Rs 5,000 crore (US$770 million).
While the decision was supposed to be taken during a cabinet meeting held in the second week of September, where the national offshore wind energy policy was also approved, the government seems to have temporarily deferred the decision, given the huge financial burden it would add. However, the government has made its intentions clear about pushing the rooftop solar power market to new heights, as the government has asked several of its branches to set up rooftop solar power systems at buildings throughout Delhi. This program is expected to be extended to the buildings belonging to all lower level government bodies, as well as those owned by all public sector companies.
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