Multi-faceted Approach Key to Scaling Green Hydrogen Production in India

Inspire Clean Energy Wins Mercom India’s Second Startup Pitch Competition

Daily News Wrap-Up: Winners of 4th Annual Mercom India Awards Announced

JSW, Hero, Vena, Hexa Climate and Serentica Win SECI’s 630 MW FDRE Auction

Adani Green’s Q1 FY 2025 Revenue Rises 24% on Higher Capacity

The Evolution and Challenges of Hybrid Power Projects in India

IndiGrid’s Q1 Revenue Surges 32.7% on Strategic Acquisitions

Winners of Mercom’s 2024 Renewable Industry Awards Announced

Policies Must Focus on Entire Value Chain of Domestic Solar Manufacturing

Rays Power Infra Raises ₹1.27 Billion Via Equity Sale


					<table id="amazon-polly-audio-table">
						<tr>
						<td id="amazon-polly-audio-tab">
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-label">Listen to this article</div>
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-container">
			<audio class="amazon-ai-player" id="amazon-ai-player" preload="none" controls   controlsList="nodownload" >
				<source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/amazon_polly_67617.mp3?version=1720762034">
			</audio>
		</div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-subscribe-tab"></div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-by-tab"></div>
						</td>
						</tr>
					</table><p>The PM Surya Ghar Program, which aims to <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">install</a> 10 million rooftop solar projects across India, continues to grapple with challenges ranging from subsidy disbursements to incomplete information on the Jan Samarth Portal used for processing loans.</p>
<p>Glitches have plagued the PM Surya Ghar <a href="https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Portal</a> for the past two months. With an outlay of ₹750 billion (~$9.04 billion), the <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">program</a> aims to increase residential rooftop solar capacity and empower households to generate electricity until 2026-27, but the sputtering rollout has cast a shadow on the target.</p>
<p>In a letter addressed to the Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>), Renewable Energy Association of Rajasthan (<a href="https://www.rear.org.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REAR</a>) President Ajay Yadav said, &#8220;Not even a single subsidy payment for projects installed after mid-February has been disbursed.&#8221; Subsidies under the rooftop solar program have been reportedly delayed by over six months.</p>
<p>Hrishikesh Agarwal, a vendor from Rajasthan, said subsidies have been pending since March, but &#8220;some customers started receiving subsidies in June.&#8221;</p>
<p>The program <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-new-rooftop-solar-subsidy-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provides</a> a subsidy of ₹30,000 (~$361)/kW for rooftop solar systems up to 2 kW for applications submitted after February 13, 2024. An additional ₹18,000 (~$217)/kW will be available for systems of over 2 kW and up to 3 kW capacity. The total subsidy for projects exceeding 3 kW will be capped at ₹78,000 (~$939).<strong> </strong></p>
<p>Adding to the woes are serious security concerns. REAR reported instances where consumer numbers could be registered or linked to any mobile number without proper one-time password (OTP) verification. In one alarming case, the system allowed login using any 6-digit number instead of an OTP for nearly 24 hours on June 20<sup>th</sup> and 21<sup>st</sup>.</p>
<p>Other vendors interviewed by Mercom have also corroborated these issues and raised additional concerns, particularly regarding the Jan Samarth Portal, which is integrated with the National Portal for loan processing.</p>
<p>An installer from Andhra Pradesh reported discrepancies between the banks listed on the National Portal and those available on the Jan Samarth Portal. &#8220;We can find only  Union Bank, Canara Bank, and a few others. We can&#8217;t even see SBI there,&#8221; the installer said, suggesting that this inconsistency could confuse and deter potential customers.</p>
<p>The challenges extend beyond portal issues. Vendors report difficulties procuring non-DCR (Domestic Content Requirement) panels, with distributors favoring large bulk orders. This has led to supply constraints for smaller installations, which predominantly require mono-facial panels.</p>
<p>Recently, the MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-guidelines-solar-modules-inverters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a framework for the enlistment of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to assist consumers in making informed choices when selecting high-efficiency products with better warranties for their rooftop solar installations.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, feasibility approvals, a step in the installation process, are facing significant delays in some regions. In Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, approvals take up to a month, far exceeding the expected seven to ten-day timeline. Some distribution companies reportedly ask consumers to apply in person, contradicting the National Portal guidelines.</p>
<p>In response to these mounting issues, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari asked Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi to &#8220;restore the normal function of the said portal,&#8221; according to a letter seen by Mercom.</p>
<p>The letter said numerous technical issues are plaguing the beneficiaries of this program. &#8220;This is reportedly happening under the pretext of upgradation and creating hurdles&#8221; in the program&#8217;s implementation.</p>
<p>Data revealed during a June webinar by <a href="https://recindia.nic.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REC</a> highlighted the stark <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/issues-plague-pm-surya-ghar-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disparity</a> in the program&#8217;s progress between states. While Gujarat had achieved an installation-to-application ratio of 19.45%, Rajasthan lagged at a mere 1.75% despite having fewer applications than Gujarat.</p>


Rooftop Solar Vendors Complain of Subsidy Delays in PM Surya Ghar Program


					<table id="amazon-polly-audio-table">
						<tr>
						<td id="amazon-polly-audio-tab">
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-label">Listen to this article</div>
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-container">
			<audio class="amazon-ai-player" id="amazon-ai-player" preload="none" controls   controlsList="nodownload" >
				<source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/amazon_polly_66927.mp3?version=1719996425">
			</audio>
		</div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-subscribe-tab"></div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-by-tab"></div>
						</td>
						</tr>
					</table><p>The PM Surya Ghar Yojana, an initiative by the government to <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">install</a> rooftop solar systems in 10 million households, has hit several roadblocks in its implementation across various states.</p>
<p>Despite ambitious targets, the program appears to be struggling due to many challenges stakeholders face, including state distribution companies (DISCOMs), installers, and consumers.</p>
<p>Data revealed during a recent webinar by <a href="https://recindia.nic.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REC</a> highlights the stark disparity in the program&#8217;s progress between states. While Gujarat has achieved an installation-to-application ratio of 19.45%, Rajasthan lags significantly behind at a mere 1.75% despite having fewer applications than Gujarat.</p>
<p>The Renewable Energy Association of Rajasthan (<a href="https://www.rear.org.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REAR</a>) has attributed the poor implementation of the program to the &#8220;insensitive behavior&#8221; of DISCOM officials.</p>
<p>In a letter to the authorities, REAR said, &#8220;Despite efforts by the DISCOMs to sensitize field employees, many Assistant Engineer offices remain oblivious to the latest orders, rules, and regulations related to rooftop solar installations.&#8221;</p>
<p>This lack of knowledge often results in delayed or improper handling of consumer and vendor requests.</p>
<p>The letter highlights the widespread non-compliance with the revised net metering timelines set by the DISCOMs. Despite an order issued on February 27, 2024, mandating a reduction in the net metering timeline from 80 days to 18 days, none of the Assistant Engineer offices have adhered to the new guidelines.</p>
<p>Approximately 70% of consumers require load extensions to accommodate their solar installation requirements. However, the DISCOMs&#8217; load extension procedures are cumbersome, often taking months to complete, even in cases where no physical alterations to cables or meters are required onsite.</p>
<p>For the past two months, the PM Surya Ghar <a href="https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Portal</a>, which serves as the program&#8217;s backbone, has been <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/bugs-glitches-national-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plagued </a>by glitches, causing issues for consumers, vendors, and DISCOM officials. REAR has suggested temporarily allowing offline net metering processes to help prevent further delays.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, various installers told Mercom they could not edit capacity details after submission. They also complained about difficulties in tracking application progress at the portal.</p>
<p>&#8220;If a customer makes a mistake in entering the capacity of the solar system, they can&#8217;t edit it once after submission. The edit option is not available on the site, and they have to raise a request for it, which is taking more than two weeks to get approved,&#8221; said an installer from Telangana.</p>
<p>The installers also described the loan process for consumers under the program as time-consuming, with extended processing times for approvals from institutions like the Small Industrial Development Bank of India (<a href="https://www.sidbi.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SIDBI</a>).</p>
<p>One vendor raised concerns about the lack of seamless integration between the national portal and the Jan Samarth portal, a platform for credit-linked government programs, and the absence of certain banks and vendors from the latter.</p>
<p>In some states, DISCOMs require consumers to purchase and test meters, leading to delays in system commissioning due to meter availability issues. The Model Code of Conduct for the recently concluded general elections has also delayed customers&#8217; awaiting subsidy amounts.</p>
<p>&#8220;After the registration, feasibility approvals take a week or ten days. But in some places, it takes a month for the feasibility check,&#8221; an installer said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, another installer from Chennai rued about issues regarding feasibility approvals. &#8220;Under the PM Surya Ghar program, separate 2.5 kW and 3 kW projects were signed but not started due to the subsidy feasibility and portal issues.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;A 3 kW rooftop solar system can be installed in 10 days, but the state approval process takes 45 to 60 days to do the feasibility check,&#8221; an installer from Rajasthan added.</p>
<p>An installer from Telangana also reported availability issues for DCR (Domestic Content Requirement) panels, particularly mono-facial panels, which are preferred for smaller installations due to cost considerations.</p>
<p>&#8220;Since we need a supply of 30 kW to 100 kW only, distributors are lagging behind our orders. They are now asking for large orders,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>As the challenges mount, REAR has recommended establishing a committee comprising representatives from DISCOMs, vendors, and associations to address issues and explore solutions. It has called for assigning specific targets to the implementing authorities with performance evaluations, clarifying the escalation process for grievances, and introducing state subsidy provisions to incentivize solar energy adoption further.</p>


Implementation Issues Continue to Plague the Rollout of PM Surya Ghar Yojana


					<table id="amazon-polly-audio-table">
						<tr>
						<td id="amazon-polly-audio-tab">
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-label">Listen to this article</div>
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-container">
			<audio class="amazon-ai-player" id="amazon-ai-player" preload="none" controls   controlsList="nodownload" >
				<source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/amazon_polly_66660.mp3?version=1719995849">
			</audio>
		</div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-subscribe-tab"></div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-by-tab"></div>
						</td>
						</tr>
					</table><p>Summer is the peak season for Surendra Chaudhary, a rooftop solar installer in Jaipur, Rajasthan, known for temperatures that routinely cross 40° C, leading to cooling needs that push up electricity bills. But business has been faltering as the National Portal, which serves as a platform to commission residential solar systems, is marred by bugs and glitches.</p>
<p>During the previous year&#8217;s peak season, Chaudhary&#8217;s firm Solar Planet raked in ₹4 million (~$48,000) to ₹5 million (~$60,000) a month. Business is now a trickle, bringing a mere ₹300,000 (~$3,600) to ₹400,000 (~$4,800) a month. &#8220;Customers have lost faith in us because it is impossible to do anything on the portal,&#8221; he said, adding that there are new bugs every step of the way.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Portal</a>, launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>), is used for everything from registration, uploading feasibility documents and project completion reports to applying for subsidy. The portal&#8217;s instability and user-unfriendliness have caused a backlog of thousands of pending requests, leaving installers and customers frustrated.</p>
<p>MNRE had said vendors must <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-vendor-registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register</a> on the National Portal to be eligible to install rooftop solar projects under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana rooftop solar program. With an outlay of ₹750 billion (~$9.04 billion), the <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">program</a> aims to increase residential rooftop solar capacity and empower households to generate electricity until 2026-27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a goal of <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">installing</a> rooftop solar projects in 10 million households.</p>
<p>According to several solar installation companies Mercom spoke to, the MNRE portal has been down for over a month, making it difficult to track the progress of applications or obtain approvals.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are not able to track the progress of applications. Feasibility approvals from the Kerala State Electricity Board (<a href="https://kseb.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSEB</a>) side are also lagging,&#8221; lamented Soura Energy, an installer in Kerala. &#8220;We have installed hardly 1 MW in the first quarter of 2024, and installations in the second quarter are lagging due to portal issues.&#8221;</p>
<p>The portal&#8217;s downtime has coincided with the peak installation season, causing significant delays and financial losses for the industry. &#8220;We missed our peak installation months already, and now the rains are here, and everything is on hold,&#8221; rued Tharayil Power, another installer from Kerala, adding that around 7,000 feasibility requests are pending approval from the DISCOM.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Hrishikesh Aggarwal of Raamesht Projects from Rajasthan said he used to commission 120 kW of projects a month. &#8220;It has now fallen to zero. Many customers have been asking us to return their money as the process is not moving forward.&#8221; His repeated emails to the government agencies were unanswered.</p>
<p>&#8220;Vendors are facing issues ranging from receiving &#8216;one-time passwords,&#8217; uploading documents, username and password being unrecognized, incomplete data on the portal, lack of data from distribution company&#8217;s (DISCOM) subdivision,&#8221; said Ajay Yadav, President of Renewable Energy Association of Rajasthan (REAR), adding that &#8220;even the DISCOMs are unable to log in from their side.&#8221;</p>
<p>Delays in completing the process and returning subsidies to customers erode their trust in vendors. &#8220;Customers are saying you are lying because the website appears live. But the problems occur when you try to go through various processes,&#8221; said Yadav.</p>
<p>&#8220;We have talked to many developers and vendors, and they all say they are getting stuck in one stage or another. At least 2,000 to 3,000 customers have stopped the process out of frustration.&#8221;</p>
<p>Installers have been forced to intentionally slow down their operations under the government subsidy scheme, as they cannot risk the eligibility of customers for subsidies without proper registration on the portal. &#8220;If we register through the portal and haven&#8217;t done feasibility through their application, that installation will be considered a private project, and we can&#8217;t claim a subsidy for that,&#8221; explained Wattsun, another installer. &#8220;These issues are gradually decreasing the pace of the solar capacity additions in Kerala.&#8221;</p>
<p>The portal has also been a major source of frustration for KSEB officials, who are frustrated by the convoluted process. &#8220;One has to go through the national portal first, then it will redirect to the DISCOM portal, again back to the national portal, and these steps have to be repeated many times to complete one application,&#8221; said a senior KSEB official on the condition of anonymity.</p>
<p>&#8220;The portal is not stable because people are trying to access it across the country simultaneously,&#8221; the official said. The backlog of pending feasibility requests has left KSEB officials unable to access and redirect applications to respective section offices, further exacerbating the delays.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, sources in <a href="https://recindia.nic.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REC</a>, the company commissioned by MNRE to ensure the portal&#8217;s smooth functioning, told Mercom that they have been constantly in touch with vendors to resolve their issues. They acknowledged that the glitches arose primarily because the portal was being shifted to better servers.</p>
<p>The portal&#8217;s failures have hurt solar installers and left customers in limbo, unable to apply for bank loans or claim subsidies under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana.</p>


Bugs and Glitches in National Portal Slow Down Rooftop Solar Installations


					<table id="amazon-polly-audio-table">
						<tr>
						<td id="amazon-polly-audio-tab">
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-label">Listen to this article</div>
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-container">
			<audio class="amazon-ai-player" id="amazon-ai-player" preload="none" controls   controlsList="nodownload" >
				<source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/amazon_polly_65376.mp3?version=1713959250">
			</audio>
		</div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-subscribe-tab"></div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-by-tab"></div>
						</td>
						</tr>
					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has invited comments and suggestions on the draft guidelines for implementing the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in the residential rooftop solar segment. The last date for receiving the comments/suggestions is April 30, 2024.</p>
<p>The Government of India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/pm-surya-ghar-to-offer-%e2%82%b978000-for-3-kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> the program on February 13, 2024. It aims to install rooftop solar projects in ten million households at a cost of ₹752.01 billion (~$ $8.9 billion).</p>
<p>The previous Phase II of the grid-connected rooftop solar program will be subsumed under the current program, along with the remaining financial outlay and liabilities, effective from the program&#8217;s launch.</p>
<p>The financial outlay for the program <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/housing-societies-new-rooftop-solar-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">includes</a> nine sub-components.</p>
<p>The program would be implemented through the National Portal.</p>
<p>The breakdown of central financial assistance (CFA) is as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>Residential sectors with a tender capacity of up to 2 kW or part thereof will receive 60% of the benchmark cost of 2 kW.</li>
<li>Additional tender capacity in the residential sector (up to 1 kW) will qualify for 40% of the benchmark cost of the additional kW.</li>
<li>No additional CFA will be provided for residential sectors beyond 3 kW.</li>
<li>Group housing societies and residential welfare associations (GHS/RWA) for shared facilities, including EV charging, up to 500 kW [@₹3 (~$0.035)/kW per house], are eligible for 40% of the benchmark cost of additional kW.</li>
</ul>
<p>Based on the benchmark cost for FY 2023-24, rooftop solar projects up to 2 kW in households receive ₹30,000 ($361.85)/kW or part thereof, while additional capacity between 2 kW and 3 kW is eligible for ₹18,000 ($217.12)/kW. GHS/RWA will receive ₹18,000 ($217.12)/kW as central financial assistance.</p>
<p>The funds for the CFA and other disbursements related to the program will originate from the budget designated for the rooftop solar phase II program until a separate budget is allocated for it.</p>
<p>The program will be implemented until March 31, 2027, when all claims must be settled.</p>
<p><strong>Eligibility </strong></p>
<ol>
<li>For the purpose of CFA, a residential rooftop solar project must be the grid-connected solar power system tagged to a particular residential power connection of the local DISCOM. It will only include installations on a roof/terrace/balcony/elevated structures.</li>
<li>The CFA should be irrespective of the size of the inverter installed. If a consumer installs a rooftop solar project with a higher/lower-rated inverter capacity than the number of modules, the CFA provided will be as per the rated DC capacity of the module system (according to the CFA structure) and not as per the inverter capacity.</li>
<li>To be eligible for the CFA, solar modules used in the installation must satisfy the Domestic Content Requirement condition, i.e., domestically manufactured modules manufactured from domestically manufactured cells.</li>
<li>A rooftop solar installation by residential consumers/RWAs that have availed CFA under the prior/current program for rooftop solar by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and have subsequently increased the RTS installation size will be eligible for additional CFA under the current program only the balance capacity up to 3 kW of overall RTS project size.</li>
</ol>
<p>Suppose a household previously installed a rooftop solar system of 1 kW capacity under the Phase 2 grid-connected rooftop solar program and received a subsidy of ₹14,588 ($174.26) and later increases the total capacity to 4 kW. In that case, it can claim additional subsidy only for the additional 2 kW capacity under the current program, amounting to ₹48,000 ($573.42).</p>
<p>Similarly, suppose a household initially installs a 1 kW system and receives a subsidy of ₹30,000 ($358), subsequently expanding the total capacity to 4 kW. In that case, it can claim additional subsidy only for the additional 2 kW capacity, totaling ₹48,000 ($573).</p>
<p>A rooftop solar installation can receive CFA only once after installation. If an already installed rooftop solar system is relocated to a new location, it will not be eligible for CFA under the program.</p>
<p>The program aims to assist in installing grid-connected rooftop solar projects in the residential sector by providing central financial support from the government. However, no CFA will be extended to non-residential segments of consumers, including the government, commercial, and industrial sectors.</p>
<p>Vendors must register on the National Portal, where they can specify their operational states and districts.</p>
<p>Upon registration, vendors must submit a bank guarantee according to the type of registration:</p>
<p>For state-based vendor registration, each state or union territory requires a bank guarantee of ₹250,000 (~$2,989).</p>
<p>For national vendor registration, a bank guarantee of ₹2.5 million (~$29,892) is required for all States/Union Territories.</p>
<p>As vendors install capacity through the National Portal, the bank guarantee requirement will be adjusted based on the installed capacity:</p>
<ul>
<li>For installations ranging from 0 to 200 kW, the existing initial bank guarantee will apply.</li>
<li>For installations between 200 kW and 1,000 kW, a bank guarantee of ₹1.5 million (~$17,933) will be required.</li>
<li>For installations between 1000 kW and 5,000 kW, a bank guarantee of ₹5 million (~$59,773) will be required.</li>
<li>For installations exceeding 5000 kW, a bank guarantee of ₹10 million (~$119,547) will be required.</li>
</ul>
<p>Vendors can respond to beneficiaries&#8217; expressions of interest, manage their project portfolios, showcase offered rooftop solar systems with pricing details, display their history of completed projects, and provide other relevant information for the beneficiaries&#8217; benefit.</p>
<p>The implementing agency (State DISCOM or designated agency), MNRE officials, or any other authorized agency may conduct inspections of ongoing installations or installed plants.</p>
<p><strong>Technical Specifications</strong></p>
<p>A rooftop solar system should include components such as solar photovoltaic modules, inverter/microinverters, module mounting structures, energy meters, array junction boxes, DC distribution boxes, AC distribution boxes, protections—earthing, lightning, surge, cables, drawings and manuals, and any other necessary components based on site requirements.</p>
<p>Projects must be commissioned according to technical specifications published by MNRE.</p>
<p>Vendors will be responsible for any deficiencies or negligence/malpractice leading to bank guarantee encashment, profile deactivation, vendor blacklisting, or other disciplinary actions.</p>
<p>Vendors must rectify any deficiencies in the system that result in non-disbursal of CFA or non-commissioning by the DISCOM due to quality/component issues.</p>
<p>A prerequisite for CFA eligibility is using domestic modules manufactured from domestic cells as per domestic content requirements. No CFA will be disbursed if this requirement is not met.</p>
<p>MNRE may periodically notify the approved list of modules and inverters eligible for CFA based on specified technical criteria to prevent vendors from supplying poor-quality equipment.</p>
<p>Vendors must use one of these approved modules and inverters in all projects installed under the scheme.</p>
<p>Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of enlisted inverters must share generation data reporting from their systems via API integration with the National Portal.</p>
<p>Data generated and transmitted by these inverter systems should be integrated with the National Portal to enhance services for beneficiaries.</p>
<p>Registered vendors must provide repair/maintenance services free of charge for five years from the commissioning date.</p>
<p>Consumers undertaking installations by bearing the capital expenditure, either by themselves or through the assistance of a bank loan and the upfront payment made to a registered vendor, will be considered projects undertaken in CAPEX mode.</p>
<p>All CFA requests for such projects must be made on the National Portal.</p>
<p>Non-performing/under-performing PV panels will be replaced free of charge during the warranty period. Beneficiaries will receive specified warranties from OEMs on system components for any future replacement of malfunctioned components.</p>
<p>Both beneficiaries and vendors have the option to raise grievances through the National Portal. These grievances will then be directed to the State Implementation Agency for resolution via a two-tier escalation matrix.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>(The article is updated with the revised deadline from April 23 to April 30, 2024)</p>


MNRE Seeks Feedback on Guidelines for PM-Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar Program


					<table id="amazon-polly-audio-table">
						<tr>
						<td id="amazon-polly-audio-tab">
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-label">Listen to this article</div>
							<div id="amazon-ai-player-container">
			<audio class="amazon-ai-player" id="amazon-ai-player" preload="none" controls   controlsList="nodownload" >
				<source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/amazon_polly_54504.mp3?version=1685016821">
			</audio>
		</div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-subscribe-tab"></div>
							<div id="amazon-polly-by-tab"></div>
						</td>
						</tr>
					</table><p>To simplify the vendor registration procedure for the <a href="https://solarrooftop.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Portal for Rooftop Solar</a>, the <a href="https://www.mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of New and Renewable Energy</a> notified that vendors can register for an entire state covering the jurisdictions of all distribution companies (DISCOM) by submitting a performance bank guarantee (PBG) of ₹250,000 (~$3,021).</p>
<p>The registration would be extended yearly without additional charges. The vendor, however, should have extended the previously submitted PBG for another year or submitted a new PBG. In any case, the PBG submitted by the vendor will be valid for at least five years from the registration or renewal date.</p>
<p>If a vendor has submitted PBGs to more than one power distribution company (DISCOM)  with a state under the old procedure, only ₹250,000 (~$3,021) should be retained. The remaining PBG should be returned to the vendor within three months or at the time of renewal of registration. However, the registered vendor will be asked to renew the retained PBG for another year.</p>
<p>State governments can authorize a DISCOM or a state nodal agency to collect the PBG from the vendors on behalf of all DISCOMs. The DISCOM/Agency collecting the PBG will register the vendors and provide a list of registered vendors (updated periodically) to other DISCOMs for uploading them on their respective national portal accounts.</p>
<p>The Ministry directed all the state governments/DISCOMs to notify the revised procedure before June 17, 2023.</p>
<p>In January, the Ministry <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-hikes-central-assistance-residential-rooftop-northeastern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the central financial assistance for residential rooftop solar consumers of northeastern states, along with hilly states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands.</p>
<p>Last October, MNRE <a href="https://mercomindia.com/phase-ii-of-residential-rooftop-solar-program-extended-until-march-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a> Phase II of the ‘Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar Program’ until March 31, 2026. The program has been extended without any enhancement of the approved outlay of ₹118.14 billion (~$1.66 billion) for both the residential segment (Component A) and distribution companies (Component B).</p>
<p>Subscribe to our real-time <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-renewable-energy-regulatory-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regulatory Updates</a> to ensure you never miss any critical updates from the renewable energy industry.</p>


national-portal

Get the most relevant India solar and clean energy news.

RECENT POSTS