In a partial relief to the Indian rooftop solar industry, the union power ministry proposed to allow net metering benefits to solar projects having loads upto 500 KW.
The Ministry of Power has issued a draft amendment to Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, which allows net metering for rooftop solar systems of loads up to 500 kW or up to the sanctioned load, whichever is lower and net billing (gross metering) or net feed-in for above 500 kW.
The stakeholders can send their comments to the ministry by April 30, 2021 said Ministry of Power.
Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commisson had issued the order stating that while the commission proposed to issue finalized regulations in due course of time, it said that to bring regulatory certainty it is clarified that ‘Rooftop and Small Solar Grid Interactive Systems’ commissioned under net metering agreements up to June 30, 2021, will continue to avail the net metering benefits.
Rajasthan Energy Regulatory Commission has deferred implementation of new rooftop solar net metering norms of net metering for loads up to 10 kW and gross metering for loads greater than 10 kW, that threatened to affect 90% of the projects.
The the state the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation has also objected to the draft norms saying they will create headwind in growing the solar industry.
According to the draft amendment, for prosumers availing net-billing or net feed-in, the Commissions may introduce time-of-the-day (ToD) tariffs which would incentivize prosumers to install energy storage for later use or can be fed into the grid during peak hours.
