Goa to provide 50% Subsidy to Small Solar Prosumers

NEW DELHI: In the amendments in the Goa State Solar Policy – 2017, the Goa government has approved 50 per cent subsidy to Small Solar Prosumers in residential, institutional, and social sector category with solar plants up to 100 kW capacity.

Earlier, the state government was providing a subsidy of 50 per cent as interest-free loans on the capital cost which was to be recovered in installments after a project has been feeding power to the grid for six months.

Now according to the policy, 30 per cent subsidy will be credited to the prosumer as per the guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) by the center and the remaining 20 per cent will be provided by the state government. The state subsidy will be released after the solar project injects power into the grid for six months.

The subsidy will be given on the capital cost or the benchmark cost provided by the MNRE or on the cost arrived through the tender process by Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA), whichever is lower.

The energy and solar meter will be rented out on payment of monthly fees by the electricity department of Goa for low tension (LT) consumers up to 100 kW. In case of consumers above 100 kW, the approved meters will have to be procured at their own cost as per the specifications and provisions of the electricity department.

The new policy says – “No town and country planning permission will be required for setting up of a solar farm including the construction for operational space.”