Getting a rooftop solar system installed will now get cheaper for a few schools in the state of Jharkhand. The Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (JREDA) has announced that it will provide an additional subsidy of 20 percent for the installation of rooftop solar systems in schools.

To avail the additional subsidy of 20 percent, schools will have to send in their applications before March 30, 2018. The additional financial assistance will be strictly available on first come first serve basis for a maximum capacity of 20 kW per school for a total of 25 schools, a cumulative capacity of 500 kW.

The additional 20 percent subsidy is being provided through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Before the announcement of this additional subsidy, financial assistance of up to 30 percent of the project cost was being provided to institutions for the installation of rooftop solar systems.

In 2017, the Jharkhand state government had announced that it will provide a 50 percent subsidy to residential consumers and a 10 percent subsidy to commercial (industrial) consumers installing rooftop solar.

Recently, JREDA issued a public service advertisement (PSA) asking the consumers to install rooftop solar system as soon as possible as the 50 percent subsidy is only valid up to May 2, 2018.

As reported previously by Mercom, in November 2016, JREDA had tendered 5 MW of rooftop solar to be set up on government buildings across the state of Jharkhand.

In the state of Jharkhand, land availability for the development of utility-scale solar projects is a challenge and the reason behind why the government has been focusing on the expansion of rooftop solar across the state.

According to Mercom India Solar Project Tracker, Jharkhand has an installed solar capacity of mere 19 MW to date and a project pipeline of 685 MW. Recently, Mercom also reported that the progress of Jharkhand’s solar sector is being severely hobbled by inaction and delays on the part of the state’s implementing and nodal agencies.