Latest news with #SuryaGhar
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
BSES hits 10,000 rooftop solar mark, saves Delhiites Rs 160 crore a year
NEW DELHI: In a major green milestone, BSEShas energised over 10,000 rooftop solar net metering connections, with a combined sanctioned load of approximately 220 MWp across South, West, East, and Central Delhi. This shift is not just helping curb pollution, but also powering consumer savings of nearly Rs 160 crore annually. The initiative has seen an overwhelming response, particularly from the residential sector—around 6,900 homes have adopted solar, followed by commercial (1,771), educational (981), industrial (163), and other establishments (236). While the domestic segment has the most connections, the commercial sector accounts for the highest energised load at 81 MWp. This solar momentum has been driven by the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and Delhi's Solar Policy, which offer up to Rs 1.08 lakh in subsidies, low-interest loans, and attractive generation-based incentives. Consumers can choose between the Capex model, where they own the system, and the Hybrid RESCO model, which involves zero upfront cost. A typical 10 kW domestic rooftop system can help save up to Rs 86,400 annually. Consumers can also earn by feeding surplus electricity back into the grid. Over 125 residential societies have adopted this model, contributing more than 5.5 MWp of clean energy. BSES' Solar City Initiative is driving awareness, quality compliance, and long-term sustainability. Rooftop systems generate 100–120 units per kW each month, with cost recovery achievable in 3–4 years. Other benefits include reducing total billed consumption, potentially qualifying consumers for Delhi Government's power subsidy. Currently, the RESCO to Capex ratio among BSES consumers is about 10% to 90%, reflecting a strong preference for ownership and long-term gains.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
1.67cr homes to get 125 units of free power: CM
1 2 Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced that the state govt will provide 125 units of free electricity to 1.67 crore domestic consumers from Aug 1. He added that financial assistance will be extended to poor and eligible households opting to install solar panels under the Centre's PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The announcement was made through the CM's official social media handle. "We have decided that all domestic power consumers will get 125 units of free electricity from Aug 1 this year. That is, they will not have to pay for 125 units of electricity from the bill of July. It will benefit 1.67 crore families in the state," Nitish said. The initiative is expected to increase the state's subsidy burden, which already stands at Rs 15,995 crore for the current financial year. The provision of free power will add several thousand crores to the state's expenditure. To mitigate the financial impact, the govt plans to promote solar energy use under both the Bihar Kutir Jyoti Yojana and the PM Surya Ghar scheme, which provides a 50% central subsidy for the installation of rooftop solar panels and associated equipment. Explaining the plan further, Nitish said, "We have also decided that the consent of these domestic power consumers will be taken for installing solar panels on the rooftops of their houses, or on nearby public land, to give them the benefit of solar energy." He added, "Under the Kutir Jyoti Yojana, the govt will bear the cost of installing solar energy equipment for extremely poor families and the govt will also provide proper financial assistance to the remaining ones." Highlighting the long-term energy goals, the CM said, "As a result of this, the domestic consumers will not have to bear the cost of 125 units of electricity and in tune with the same as much as 10,000MW of solar energy will be available in the next three years." Currently, the state provides a power subsidy to all domestic and several other categories of consumers. The new policy will build on that support, while gradually shifting towards sustainable and decentralised energy sources. While political comparisons have been made in the past regarding free electricity promises, the CM, in his statement, refrained from responding to any such proposals made by opposition leaders. He reiterated that Bihar has historically aimed to provide affordable electricity rather than making it entirely free. "Right from the beginning, we have been making electricity available to all at cheaper rates," Nitish said, maintaining that the current decision aims to balance affordability with sustainability.
India Today
3 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Can India sustain its 50% non-fossil fuel milestone amid rising energy demands?
This month, India marked a historic milestone in energy transition, achieving 50.08 per cent of its installed electricity capacity—242.78 gigawatts (GW) out of 484.82 GW—from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of its 2030 target under the Paris achievement, hailed by Union minister Pralhad Joshi as a 'historic green leap', underscores India's accelerating shift towards clean energy, driven by solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power. Yet, as India basks in this success, significant challenges remain, and its journey offers a lens into the global energy transition, with lessons for other 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity is a remarkable feat for a developing nation with a population of 1.4 billion and rapidly growing energy demands. India's energy consumption is projected to surge 2-2.5 times by 2047, driven by industrialisation, urbanisation and rising living standards. Achieving this milestone five years early demonstrates India's ability to balance economic growth with climate commitments, positioning it as a leader among emerging milestone aligns with India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which include reducing emissions intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and achieving 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity. This progress, coupled with India's low per capita emissions, bolsters its global standing as a climate-conscious nation. India's success stems from a combination of policies, technological advancements and large-scale deployment of renewable energy. Since 2014, non-fossil fuel capacity has surged from 87 GW to 242.78 GW, with solar energy leading at 94.16 GW and wind at 47.95 GW by November 2024. In 2024 alone, India added 28 GW of solar and wind capacity, followed by 16.3 GW in the first five months of 2025, reflecting an accelerated encouragement from the government has come in the form of programmes such as PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, and the National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy. The PM Surya Ghar scheme, launched in 2024, aims to install rooftop solar in 10 million households, decentralising energy access. It has driven solar adoption in rural areas and integrated renewable energy into the government has planned transmission schemes to integrate 66.5 GW of renewable energy in states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat, with 51,000 circuit km of transmission lines and 433,500 MVA of transformation capacity planned by 2030. Solar and wind tariffs are now among the lowest globally, making renewables cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Companies such as Reliance, Adani Green Energy and Tata Power Solar have invested heavily in the this progress, India faces hurdles in translating installed capacity into actual power generation. While installed capacity shows a balanced mix, actual electricity generation is heavily skewed toward fossil fuels making up 73.4 per cent of the total energy generated. This is due to their higher operational account for only 24 per cent of electricity generation as coal remains the backbone. Among the primary challenges is grid integration for the green energy already generated. The grid, designed for fossil fuels, struggles with the intermittent nature of renewables. Enhancing storage (for example battery systems) and smart grids is critical. Moreover, state utilities face financial constraints, and infrastructure investments are needed to ensure grid Poverty'—the absence of reliable electricity access due to affordability issues or inadequate distribution—is a reality for millions in India. Moreover, the achievement may well be short lived as India plans to add 80 GW of coal capacity by 2032 to meet rising demand, complicating decarbonisation. Another reality is biomass-based cooking in rural areas, which continues to expose millions to toxic emissions, requiring a shift to clean CO2 emissions are the third highest globally, but its per capita emissions remain low at approximately 2 tonnes per person (2023 data), compared to the United States (14.7 tonnes), China (10.2 tonnes) and the European Union (6.2 tonnes). This reflects India's developing economy status and lower historical emissions. While the US and China lead in total emissions, India's emissions intensity has decreased by 33 per cent since 2005, surpassing its NDC target. However, coal's dominance in power generation means India's total emissions continue to rise, driven by industrial growth and focus on non-fossil fuels began in earnest with the 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change, which launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in 2010, targeting 20 GW of solar by 2022 (later revised to 100 GW). The 2015 Paris Agreement strengthened India's commitment, with pledges to achieve 40 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, a target overachieved by 2021. Rising energy imports, geopolitical risks and the need to mitigate climate change drove this shift. The 2021 COP26 'Panchamrit' framework, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set ambitious goals: 500 GW non-fossil capacity, 50 per cent renewable energy and net-zero by renewable energy adoption varies. China leads with over 1,000 GW of renewable capacity (2023), driven by massive solar and wind investments, but its coal reliance keeps per capita emissions high. The US, with 350 GW of renewables, ranks second but lags in per capita emissions reduction due to heavy fossil fuel use. Germany, a renewable energy pioneer, sources 60 per cent of its electricity from renewables (2024), benefiting from advanced grid nations such as Brazil (60 per cent hydro-dominated renewables) and South Africa (slow renewable growth due to coal dependency) show mixed progress. India's early achievement of 50 per cent non-fossil capacity places it ahead of many peers, though its generation share lags behind leaders like to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
10k connections, Rs 160 crore savings for consumers: Delhi gets a solar boost
New Delhi: The BSES discoms, BRPL and BYPL, energised over 10,000 solar connections in Delhi, contributing 220 Megawatt peak (MWp) of green energy and helping consumers save Rs 160 crore annually. The highest number of installed rooftop solar net metering connections, about 6,900, is in the domestic category, followed by 1,771 commercial, nearly 1,000 educational, 165 industrial, and 240 other types, said a BSES spokesperson. Nearly 125 residential societies opted for rooftop solar with a load of 5.5 MWp. Every kilowatt (kW) of rooftop solar power generates about 100 to 120 units of electricity every month, and the system's cost can be recovered in three to four years, the official said. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi A 10 kW domestic rooftop solar plant can save around Rs 86,400 annually, besides benefiting the consumers with a subsidy of Rs 1.08 lakh provided under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and Delhi Solar Policy. Rooftops are the new power plants, and their number is rising across south, west, east and central Delhi areas covered by BRPL and BYPL, said the BSES spokesperson. "(Rooftop solar net metering connections)...is by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo also doing its bit to reduce Delhi's pollution besides helping consumers save Rs 160 crore annually," the official stated. The response of the people towards this system is "overwhelming," and consumers from various segments, including residential and commercial establishments, are embracing it "enthusiastically," the official added. The Delhi govt's latest hybrid renewable energy service company (RESCO) scheme will further accelerate rooftop solar adoption in the city, the discom spokesperson said. Consumers can choose between capital expense (Capex) and hybrid RESCO models for the installation of rooftop solar power panels. Under RESCO, consumers will be able to go solar with zero capital investment. In Delhi, although the domestic category leads in terms of the number of solar connections (over 6,900), the highest energised solar load (81 MWp) falls under the commercial category, the official said. The annual savings of the consumers adopting rooftop solar total approximately Rs 160 crore, with the commercial category estimated to save Rs 80 crore, followed by the residential category (Rs 35 crore), educational institutions (around Rs 30 crore), others (Rs 12 crore), and industrial (Rs 12 crore).
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Over 10K solar connections energised in Delhi; consumers save ₹160 crore annually: BSES
New Delhi : The BSES discoms, BRPL and BYPL, have energised over 10,000 solar connections in Delhi , contributing a 220 Megawatt peak (MPp) of green energy and helping consumers save annually ₹160 crore. The highest number of installed rooftop solar net metering connections (about 6,900) is in the domestic category, followed by 1,771 commercial, nearly 1,000 educational, 165 industrial and 240 other types, said a BSES spokesperson. Nearly 125 residential societies have opted for rooftop solar with a load of 5.5 MWp. Every kilowatt (kW) of rooftop solar power generates about 100-120 units of electricity every month, and the system's cost can be recovered in three to four years, the official said. A 10 kW domestic rooftop solar plant can save around ₹86,400 annually, besides benefitting the consumers with a subsidy of ₹ 1.08 lakh provided under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and Delhi Solar Policy . Rooftops are the new power plants, and their number is rising across South, West, East and Central Delhi areas covered by BRPL and BYPL, said the BSES spokesperson. "(Rooftop solar net metering connections)...is also doing its bit to reduce Delhi's pollution besides helping consumers save annually ₹160 crore," the official stated. The response of the people towards this system is "overwhelming" and consumers from various segments, including residential and commercial establishments, are embracing it "enthusiastically", the official added. Delhi government's latest hybrid renewable energy service company (RESCO) scheme will further accelerate rooftop solar adoption in the city, the discom spokesperson said. Consumers can choose between capital expense (Capex) and hybrid RESCO models for the installation of rooftop solar power panels. Under RESCO, consumers will be able to go solar with zero capital investment. In Delhi, although the domestic category leads in terms of number of solar connections (over 6,900), the highest energised solar load (81 MWp) falls under the commercial category, the official said. The annual savings of the consumers adopting rooftop solar total approximately ₹160 crore, with the commercial category estimated to save ₹80 crore, followed by the residential category (₹35 crore), educational institutions (around ₹30 crore), others (₹12 crore) and industrial (₹12 crore), the spokesperson informed.
