An Indian House Owner's Dilemma- Should I go Solar?

I have been thinking of an average Indian house-owner's Dilemma.

“Should I go solar, if so when?

The Indian electricity scene has been bad for decades---power cuts, voltage variations, unscheduled power failures, transformer bursting, power lines falling etc. 

The picture was the same whether it is summer, winter or rains. The electricity authorities have innumerable excuses for not giving continuous quality power. Many consumers have taken this up individually, collectively and also through various associations; all to no avail.

The average consumer was at the mercy of the state owned electricity boards and their snotty “Babus”.

About 20 years back, the electrical industry came to rescue of the consumers with its battery storage + inverter product.  Now at least the consumer could heave a sigh of relief; at least one could get some power when the grid failed. Over time consumers have learnt how to use the battery storage + inverter to suit their needs. This has involved a painstaking exercise of reducing one's own consumption to suit the power saved by the battery OR find various means of adjusting one’s own consumption to outlast the non-availability of power (or should I say the inefficiency of the electricity board). This learning curve took a long time for the individual household since there was no way of knowing how much juice (charge ) was left in the battery at any time and one had to go by trial and error method of arriving at what equipment to run for how long, during times when power was not available.

Added on to this, the installers hardly knew much of the product they were selling and in the bargain all sort of products got installed. 

Now almost all the “all-electric homes” have a battery storage + inverter product sitting in their house, producing poisonous gases unknown to many. Meanwhile house owners were heaving a sigh of relief that they were at least getting through power cuts.

Now comes the electricity boards with ever increasing tariff. (Take for example of Kerala, whose residential tariff was Rs 0.82 in 1997 which has risen to Rs.5.70 in 2014.). A rise of 12% + year on year.

 Well, if the same trend continues, what will be the price that one has to pay over coming years?

Well, statistics unveil a horror story as the chart below shows 

Now the Dilemma starts.

• What do I do to ensure that I keep my energy consumption low?
• Should I invest in alternate power which can reduce my monthly outflow of cash?
• Does it make sense in investing in alternate power generation?

The answer is simple if one really looks at the possibilities & probabilities of tomorrow.

As the state electricity boards strive to improve their efficiency (or should I say reduce their inefficiencies), the cost of power is going to increase. Much of this increase may be thrust on to the “milking cows” namely the commercial and industrial sector, because the politicians will not want their vote bank to be affected.

However, increase of domestic tariff is obvious. The escalation may not be 12% but may be around 8%; leading to a price of Rs.9.77 by 2022 and Rs.15.50 by 2027. (see chart below)

 The tariff rate is different from state to state and if one consider places like Delhi, the picture may be more horrendous.

 The solar power unit cost will be around Rs.4.50 if expense is spread over 20 years and with an addition of storage the total unit price be around Rs.8 or Rs.9.

With government going “GaGa” over solar for obvious reasons, it will only be a short time before they make it mandatory to install solar (which some states already have or is in the process) . This in course of time will lead to asking domestic consumers to also limit their consumption during peak times.

 The same government who is asking you to produce power and push/supply into the grid will turn around in short time and ask you, to consume the power produced. Net metering will be forced to be abandoned or converted to predominantly self-use. (Examples of Germany, Britain, and Hawaii give us a forecast of what will evolve in India also).

 Originally residential consumers did not go for battery storage + inverter to save money, but, to have power during power failures. With grid remaining truant (or should I say tyrant), and the cost of power increasing, it is the right time to go into installation of rooftop solar projects.

 At least one can produce power for self-use as well as save money in the long run. 

Domestic consumers; your questions are answered, Solar Power is here and with the right accessories and it is the right time to take a decision to go solar.