In April 2019, many important policies were announced to streamline India’s renewable energy sector. Some of the policies highlighted include generic tariff, net-metering, deviation settlement, testing guidelines among others. Here is a roundup of some key policy announcements made by the central government and state agencies in the renewable energy sector during April 2019.

National

To address the lack of quality certification in solar components, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued a draft quality control order for solar thermal systems as per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act. Any manufacturer, who sells or distributes solar thermal goods must apply to register with the BIS for the use of its standard mark.

India imposed anti-dumping duty on the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) sheets for solar modules imported from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand for five years.

The MNRE has issued a blueprint for the utilization, manufacture, disposal, and import of solar module and glass containing Antimony. Antimony is a chemical element that has been found to have hazardous effects on the environment.

The MNRE has also issued draft guidelines for performance testing of batteries (lead-acid and nickel-based chemistry type) series approval for mandatory registration with the BIS.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued a notification about the fees to be collected by Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDC) from the generating companies, distribution licensees, inter-state transmission licensees, buyers, sellers, and inter-state trading licensees and any other users.

The MNRE has also issued draft guidelines for series approval (grouping) of solar inverters to conduct testing in labs for Implementation of “Quality Control Order on Solar PV Systems, Devices and Components Goods 2017.”

Moreover, it has issued draft specifications and testing procedures for universal solar pump controllers (USPC).

The CERC has issued its fifth draft amendment to the deviation settlement regulations which include two new clauses: daily base deviation settlement mechanism (DSM) and time block DSM.

Investments from the International Solar Association (ISA) will no longer be treated as a foreign source of funding, a government notification announced.

State

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) issued “Captive and Renewable Energy Generating Plants Regulations, 2019,” which will be enforced from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2024.

Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) has set the generic levelized tariff for power generated from solar PV for FY 2019-20 at ₹4.17 (~$0.060)/kWh without accelerated depreciation.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has fixed the generic tariff for solar PV at ₹3.04 (~$0.044)/kWh without accelerated depreciation and ₹2.80 (~$0.040)/kWh with AD in Tamil Nadu. The tariff came into effect from April 1, 2019.

TNERC has set generic tariff for the procurement of power from municipal solid waste projects in the state at ₹6.28 (~$0.088)/kWh without accelerated depreciation and ₹5.90 (~$0.082)/kWh with accelerated depreciation applicable effective April 1, 2019.

The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) has issued (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Order, 2019. This order applies to those domestic consumers who have a letter of approval to install rooftop solar PV grid-interactive systems based on net metering issued after November 15, 2018, and who have subsequently installed these systems.