GUWAHATI: The installation of rooftop solar plants has picked up pace in Assam, with a large section of people owning up to the idea. In order to make rooftop solar plants more popular, the state government has eased its installation policies.
The installation of rooftop solar plants comes under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana. So far, as many as 470 rooftop solar plants with a cumulative generation capacity of 1.8 MW have been installed in the state.
According to official sources, the lifespan of a rooftop solar plant is around 25 years. The beneficiaries will be able to recover the investment made in the installation of the plant within a period of two years. A beneficiary will generate free electricity up to 30 units per month for the next 23 years and can sell the excess power to the APDCL.
Both the central and state governments offer subsidies ranging from Rs 48,000 to Rs 1.30 lakh based on the capacity of the plant in this scheme. According to sources, thousands of people have applied for rooftop solar plants in the state, where the target of the government is to install around one lakh rooftop solar plants.
Commenting on rooftop solar plants, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "We're gradually moving towards a green power system with a long-running goal. Under the PM Ghar Scheme, we have already installed 1.8 MW of rooftop solar plants and have brought about several changes in policies to encourage their further adoption."
According to official sources, the APDCL has provided skill development and capacity-building training to 107 solar technicians. APDCL has also waived technical feasibility approval for installations up to 10 KW of rooftop solar plant capacity.
Apart from this, APDCL is also commissioning rooftop solar plants within three days after the completion of installations and providing smart meters free of charge to beneficiaries without any additional costs.
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