Distribution companies (DISCOMs) in Delhi have installed 3,140 rooftop solar installations with a connected load of 106 MW in the national capital. These systems are saving ₹680 million ($9.35 million) annually.

The residential segment accounted for 1,805 of the total connections, followed by 665 in the educational segment, and 554 in the commercial segment, according to BSES.

The two DISCOMs, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Private Limited (BYPL), are planning to install over 1,000 rooftop solar systems in the financial year (FY) 2021-22. The two companies are joint ventures between Reliance Infrastructure Limited and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The response to the rooftop installations with net metering has been highly encouraging in the BSES areas, and consumers across all segments are opting for a rooftop with a net metering facility, BSES said.

Based on the energized load, the educational segment has been on the top with a connected load of 43 MW, followed by commercial with 28 MW, residential with 23 MW, industrial with 3 MW, and others with 3 MW.

The rooftop installations have been popular among the housing complexes, with around 90 housing societies and apartments opting for rooftop solar with a sanctioned load of over 5 MW.

BSES said consumers in the commercial category could save nearly ₹258 million (~$3.5 million) annually if they go solar, while educational institutions could save ₹237.3 million (~$3.27 million) and residential consumers ₹98 million (~$1.35 million).

A BSES spokesperson said, “In a bid to realize the full potential, BSES is leading the efforts for accelerated adoption of rooftop solar in the capital region. Our Solar City initiative is promising to be a game-changer. Besides promoting solar adoption, the initiative is a win-win proposition for both consumers and DISCOMs. The solar outreach program also educates consumers about the benefits of solar energy while ensuring strict quality compliance of the systems being installed. It is also facilitating various finance options available to the consumers.”

BSES has energized rooftop net metering connections ranging from a sanctioned load of 1 kW to over 2,000 kW.

The initiative of actively implementing the rooftop solar program will also help BRPL and BYPL meet their renewable purchase obligation targets and help the DISCOMs minimize overloading in congested areas in the summer months.

As per estimates, the exploitable solar potential in the south and west Delhi is around 800 MW, and around 200 MW in the east and central Delhi.

In November last year, BRPL and BYPL expanded the solar city program by launching ‘Solarize Safdarjung’ and ‘Solarize Kakardooma’ projects in Delhi. Under the program, consumers are offered premium, customized, and non-subsidized solar solutions, including imported components, easy financing options, extended warranty, and additional annual maintenance services under the CAPEX model.

Earlier, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) amended its regulations on group net metering and virtual net metering for renewable energy to make it applicable for consumers under the domestic category as well as consumers such as hospitals, colleges, schools, and other institutions run or managed by charitable institutions.