Mr Ashok from World Resources Institute, spoke about how solar rooftops can be used as a way to reduce energy costs. Apartment Complexes typically has large un-utilized roof space which can be used for such installations. The system can also be integrated with existing systems making it easy to get started. Between 1996 and today, the cost of solar panels has fallen by almost 99%. Changes in regulations and improvement of technology have made it a very dependable source of power. Typically payback period is 5-6 years.

1. Neighbourhoods of Tomorrow, September 8, 2018
ROOFTOP SOLAR FOR
RESIDENTIAL
COMMUNITIES
ASHOK THANIKONDA
23115.0
7
23115.0
7

3. DOMESTIC CONSUMERS ARE THE DRIVER FOR
GROWTH
Commercial Industrial WaterSupply Hospitals & Education Domestic

4. GROWTH IS MAINLY CONCENTRATED IN THE
PERIPHERY

5. POLICY DRIVERS

6. KARNATAKA SOLAR POLICY 2011-2016
• Aims to generate 6000 MW from solar by
2021
• No consideration of rooftop solar

7. A MID-WAY COURSE CORRECTION - KARNATAKA
SOLAR POLICY 2014-2021
• Aims to realise 3% of total energy consumption
from solar
• Aims to promote solar roof top generation &
technologies
• Target for 400 MW of grid connected roof top
solar generation projects by 2018
– Both net and gross metering available
– Voltage levels suggested: 240 V/single phase (upto 5
kWp); 415 V/three phase (5 kWp to 50 kWp)
– Proposal to amend bye-laws to exempt FAR (floor
area ratio) in respect of additional floor area created
under solar panels with light roofing

8. KERC ORDER – 2018 (18 MAY 2018)
Parameter Considered Value
Capital cost for kW
scale solar rooftop (1-
10 kW)
INR 40,000/kW
Max. allowed installed
capacity of solar
rooftop plant at a single
location
Not more than 100% of
the sanctioned load,
subject to a maximum of
5kW on a single-phase
supply and 5-50kW on a
three-phase supply
Third party ownership
of panels
Allowed
Tariff for rooftop and
small solar PV plants
(without capital
subsidy)
INR 3.56/unit
Tariff for rooftop and
small solar PV plants
(with 15% capital
subsidy)
INR 2.67/unit

9. INDICATIVE CALCULATIONS TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT

10. BESCOM PROCEDURE- SUMMARY
• Submit application
online/offline to sub-
division office
• General screening,
registration and
acknowledgement
• Select a system installer
from approved list
• Inspection by BESCOM
after installation
• Signing of PPA with
BESCOM

11. ON GROUND
ASSESSMENT –
WRI RESEARCH

12. Motivation ExperienceAwareness
CONSUMERS’ EXPERIENCES AND BARRIERS
Coming
across
different
sources of
Informatio
n
Knowi
ng
about
solar
PV
Consi
derin
g
install
ing
Solar
PV
Gathering
information
about vendor
services,
financing,
regulatory
processes
Eval
uatin
g
vend
or
servi
ces
Acce
ssing
sour
ces
of
finan
ce
Appl
ying
for
subsi
dies
(if
appli
cabl
e)
Appl
ying
for
perm
ission
s &
comp
lying
with
proc
edur
es
Expe
rienc
es
duri
ng
and
post-
insta
llatio
n
Clear, credible, transparent sources of
information
Customized financial
options
Institutional synergies in
policies
Time

13. RECOMMENDATIONS
Suggestions Theme
Introduce automated net-metered billing systems
including at local levels
Capacity
Migrate billing and approval processes online to reduce
need for multiple physical visits
Capacity
Enhance capacities of local-level officials to address
issues of residential consumers
Capacity
Enhance capacities for bank officials to address issues of
residential consumers
Capacity,
finance
Introduce consumer-friendly measures like
standardization of benchmark cost across all banks
Finance

14. RECOMMENDATIONS (CONTD.)
Suggestions Theme
Strategies to involve RWAs to support SNAs in spending
their campaign budgets
Awareness
Innovative and multimedia/outreach for supply of sources
of information
Awareness
Ensure clarity of information Awareness
Ensure credibility by getting Govt. or Industry Associations
to certify vendor and technology standards
Awareness
Ensure accessibility through options like media coverage,
workshops and awareness events
Awareness

15. PROGRESS SO FAR….
Year Number of Installations Capacity (MWp)
2014-15 26 0.46
2015-16 399 7.56
2016-17 521 44.68
2017-18 290 41.31
2018-19 30 4.98 (as on 31 Aug
2018)
NB: This also includes C&I consumers

16. WHAT CAN SCALE UP THE MARKET?
• Demand aggregation is a possible solution
– Possible across neighbourhoods with a tweak in
the rules
– WRI has experimented with this for C&I
customers
– Economies of scale for participating consumers
– An opportunity for the utility to also relook at its
power procurement practices and encourage
large scale decentralised generation
– Significant reduction in T&D losses are possible