The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a new website for solar developers that will issue concessional customs duty certificates.

These concessional certificates are given for setting up power generating projects using non-conventional materials.

The website will simplify the process for developers seeking the certificates for importing items that are used for setting up solar power projects in India.

This website came into existence as it was observed that there was duplication of work at state nodal agencies and the ministry before approval of the bill of material and there was no information of the sanctioned projects. Therefore, it was decided that all the applications by the solar project developers will directly be submitted to the MNRE.

The process is as follows:

• Solar project developers will need to prepare the total bill of material in the ministry portal with supporting documents, self-certification, and affidavits.
• Developers must get the total bill scrutinized by a chartered engineer.
• Developers should submit the application of total bill directly to the MNRE.
• The application will be scrutinized and approved by the ministry.
• Developer will have to generate certificates and submit to the MNRE along with supporting documents for issuing certificates

Recently, Mercom reported that the MNRE has issued a memorandum regarding continuation of issue of such concessional certificates to set up projects based on non-conventional materials such as agricultural, forestry, agro-industrial, industrial, municipal and urban waste, bio-waste, and or poultry litter.

Back in 2017, Mercom reported that solar rooftop materials and equipment were exempted from customs and excise duty. The MNRE had released a set of guidelines for the grant of duty benefits to end users. The MNRE gave customs and excise duty exemption certificates to all solar rooftop project contractors with a minimum 100 kW capacity as a single project or bundled project. The MNRE had regulated that in the case of bundled projects, the contractor will apply for a customs and excise duty exemption certificate on behalf of the end user.