With a target of equipping 1 crore households with rooftop solar systems, Prime Minister Modi’s recently announced “Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana” scheme promises not only to boost the adoption of renewable energy but also to propel India toward energy self-reliance (Urja Atmanirbharta).
While the goals are commendable, let’s unpack the announcement with a critical eye:
๐ง๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐. ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐:
โพ Aiming for 1 crore households translates to roughly 10 GW of installed capacity, assuming 1 kW per household. Doubling this assumption reaches 20 GW, palpable but not groundbreaking compared to the recent ambitious renewable energy targets.
โพ The key differentiator here might be speed: mission mode execution could see this achieved much faster than traditional scheme-based deployments.
๐๐
๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐:
โพ The government’s penchant for “mission mode” initiatives could translate to swift progress but raises concerns about long-term policy stability.
โพ Established PV companies, who were in the business of centralized large-scale PV deployment, are likely to enter the decentralized sector and rapidly expand their franchise networks, further consolidating the market. Few have already entered the distributed Pv market.
โพ The Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is expected to boost manufacturing in India, addressing a crucial bottleneck. The scheme will bear fruit by 2024, ensuring strong domestic supply chains.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ:
โพ Discoms (distribution companies) have a legitimate concern about revenue loss from grid-connected rooftop PV systems under the present metering and billing mechanisms and similar provisions in existing rooftop solar systems. Discoms might voice concerns over the scheme’s impact on revenue and grid stability.
๐จ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐:
โพ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ’๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐
๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐.
โพ Grid modernization and infrastructure upgrades are crucial to integrate large-scale rooftop solar seamlessly.
โพ Financial sustainability and affordability for beneficiaries require careful consideration.
๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ:
The Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana has the potential to be a game-changer. Still, its success hinges on addressing the concerns of discoms, prioritizing grid infrastructure, and ensuring affordability for beneficiaries. Open dialogue, robust policy design, and a focus on long-term sustainability will be key to unlocking the true potential of India’s rooftop solar dream.
