The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a simplified procedure for residential consumers to install the rooftop solar system through any vendor of their choice under the Rooftop Solar Program.

MNRE will launch a national portal in six to eight weeks, wherein homeowners can apply for rooftop systems, get approvals, and track its progress. There will also be a portal set up by the state distribution companies (DISCOMs), and both these portals will be linked.

Homeowners who wish to install rooftop solar systems will be required to submit necessary information, including details of the bank account where the subsidy amount is to be transferred. They will be informed about the complete process and subsidy amount that can be availed for installing the rooftop system at the time of application.

Within 15 working days, the application will be forwarded online to the concerned DISCOM to issue technical feasibility. Once the application is transferred to the DISCOM, it will also be displayed on the DISCOM portal.

After obtaining technical feasibility, homeowners can install the rooftop system by selecting solar modules that fulfill the conditions of domestic content requirements (components made in India). Solar modules used in the system need to be listed under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). The modules and inverters need to be certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The list of empanelled vendors will be provided on the portal. To ensure quality and post-installation services, MNRE will issue standards and specifications for rooftop systems and an agreement format between the beneficiary and the vendor. The agreement, among other terms and conditions, will have the provision to ensure that the rooftop system installed meets safety and performance standards and that the vendor would maintain the system for the next five years or more as per terms of the agreement.

The application will be canceled if the homeowner fails to install its system within a specified period. Once canceled, the homeowner must re-apply to install the rooftop solar system.

Upon installing the rooftop solar system, the beneficiary will have to apply for net metering on the national portal, which will be forwarded to the concerned DISCOM. The concerned DISCOM will procure and install the net meter or advise the beneficiary to procure it per prescribed specifications and get it tested from DISCOM’s authorized lab. The decision of the DISCOM will be posted on the portal.

After installing the net meter, the DISCOM officer will submit a commissioning and inspection report on the national portal.

On receiving the inspection report, the subsidy will be released directly in the beneficiary’s bank account by DISCOM. MNRE will monitor the whole process, and a grievance redressal mechanism will be implemented.

Until the national portal comes into operation, the existing procedure for availing subsidy for installing the rooftop system through DISCOMs will continue. It will be the only authorized procedure to avail subsidy from MNRE. After the national portal is launched, the beneficiary can choose to install a rooftop solar system through either of the options.

Recently, MNRE announced that residential consumers could install rooftop systems through vendors of their choice. They can inform DISCOM about the installation along with a photograph of the installed system.

In November 2021, MNRE revised the benchmark costs, excluding the Goods and Services Tax (GST), for grid-connected rooftop solar projects for FY 2021-22. The revised benchmark cost for general category states varied from ₹35.89 (~$0.48)/W to ₹46.92(~$0.62)/W for capacities up to 500 kW.