Adopting solar energy can offer critical electricity bill savings for commercial and industrial (C&I) stakeholders. At a recent C&I Clean Energy Meet hosted by Mercom India in Mumbai, industry experts discussed savings on power bills by switching to solar and choosing between open-access and rooftop solar.

Representatives from Enrich Energy, GSE Renewables, and Swelect Energy participated in the discussion.

Santosh Mahadik, Chief of Solar Park Business, Enrich Energy, explained that savings and long-term benefits are the key motivators for C&I industries to switch to solar energy.

“As an industrial consumer, savings on electricity bills is key when switching to green energy. For some industrial consumers, energy costs are one of the biggest expenses. But while selecting a partner to help in the transition and savings, consumers should consider their connectivity, land availability, technology used, and reliability,” added Mahadik.

Experts highlight that solar installations also offer advantages beyond economic savings.

Rajiv Singh, VP – BD and Operations, GSE Renewables, said, “Installing a rooftop project creates an asset on a consumer’s rooftop, and the consumers generally recover the capital invested in three years. Additionally, mitigating carbon footprint gives consumers an international rating, and transitioning to solar energy will help enhance it.”

Singh also emphasized the importance of addressing different projects’ environmental aspects, as industries are increasingly under global scrutiny for sustainability goals.

Quick decision-making to save more

Industry experts also emphasized that an informed and timely decision regarding solar projects can help consumers save more.

Singh emphasized on the importance of quick decision-making. “The government is focused on bringing manufacturing to India to avoid importing from other countries. If a consumer takes too long to decide, policy and market changes, and supply chain fluctuations will affect module prices,” he said.

Therefore, consumers might lose money on favorable market conditions if the decisions take too long.

Vikas Kumar Upadhyay, VP-Sales, Swelect Energy, highlighted the steps and reasons for quick decision-making to help consumers save more.

“First, consumers should assess their current savings, analyze the market data, and decide. Next, there’s no need to worry about module cost increase since the curve is already flattening,” Upadhyay said.

He added, “Connectivity will become increasingly challenging as the years progress. In Rajasthan, substations are projected to be unavailable until 2029. We need to anticipate the future; if a decision is not made today, consumers will miss out on savings.”

Experts noted that the government will introduce more stringent policies for stabilizing the grid and quick decision-making is necessary.

Selecting Between Rooftop or Open Access Solar

The choice between rooftop systems or open access depends on the consumers’ energy consumption.

“The question to be answered is how much power replacement the consumer desires. Open access incurs some charges for wheeling and transmission losses, and the fees imposed by the transmission companies also need to be considered,” said Singh.

Consumers must consider the size and the shadow-free area available for the rooftop systems.

“Choosing between open-access and rooftop also depends on the consumer’s financial capability. Due to land acquisition requirements, open-access can be more expensive, whereas rooftop options tend to be more affordable,” Singh explained.

Upadhyay argued that solar solutions should not be viewed as mere commodities but as solutions. “Since we sell a solution, it is essential for us to assess each consumer’s energy requirements individually and then make a decision. If a consumer has capital expenditures and needs, for instance, 1 MW or less, then opting for rooftop solar is advisable,” he said.

The industry experts concluded that choosing between open-access and rooftop primarily depends on the consumer’s energy needs, consumption pattern and the investment they are willing to make.

At the same event, leading financial institutions and solar solution providers also discussed details on obtaining green loans for rooftop and captive open-access solar.

The next Mercom India C&I Clean Energy Meet event will be held in Pune on May 16, 2025.

Contact us if you plan to install solar and need guidance or vendor recommendations.