In a piece of positive news from the country’s smallest state, more than 114 consumers have installed rooftop solar systems across Goa.

Many of these connections are under the net metering arrangement, where the consumer can export the surplus electricity generated by the solar system into the grid and get the equivalent amount adjusted in their bills.

Speaking to Mercom, Rajiv Samant, chief engineer with the Goa Electricity Department, said, “As of March 31, 2020, 114 rooftop connections have been installed, of which 107 are net metered connections, and seven are gross metered. Additional connections have not been updated yet.”

“We are also providing 50% subsidy to consumers on the benchmark cost for the rooftop PV solar systems,” he added.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Market Update, Goa has nearly 3.83 MW of rooftop installations, as of June 2020.

Goa has been making systematic progress in the rooftop solar segment.

The state announced the Goa State Solar Policy – 2017 at beginning of 2019. The policy aimed to provide a subsidy of up to 50% for small prosumers in residential, institutional, and social sector category with solar systems up to 100 kW capacity. The state government will also provide a subsidy for projects of sizes up to 100 kW for the standalone systems, including the cost of the battery.

Later, the state electricity regulator finalized the new net metering regulations. Under the new regulations, the group net metering framework will apply to all the consumers. The virtual net metering framework will apply to all residential consumers, group housing societies, and establishments of government and local authorities. Virtual Net Metering is where the entire energy generated from a renewable energy system is exported to the grid from renewable energy meter. That exported energy is adjusted in more than one electric connection of participating consumers located within the same distribution licensee’s area of supply.

The state has proposed that in case the payment by the DISCOM is delayed beyond the prescribed date, a late payment surcharge of 1.25% per month will be levied on the DISCOM. Solar PV projects will be exempted from banking charges.

In July this year, Goa Energy Development Agency issued an expression of interest to empanel Installers to design and install 5 MW of grid-connected residential rooftop solar system under the capital expenditure model. This included residential buildings, group housing societies, and residential welfare associations.