- In a milestone in the area of renewable energy, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (#MSEDCL or MahaVitaran) has generated 253.94 Megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar power in the Pune Circle, which includes Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune rural.
- The central government through MahaVitaran is offering subsidies of up to 40% to domestic consumers including households, housing societies and residential welfare associations for rooftop solar power systems. The MSEDCL has generated over 10,000 solar power units with a total capacity of 253.94 MW out of which, 72 MW has been contributed by around 7,500 individual- and society- households.
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Rajendra Pawar
chief engineer of the Pune Circle of MahaVitaran, said, “We emphasised the financial benefits of rooftop solar power projects such as reducing electricity bills.
- We were paying ?20 to 25,000 in electrical bills per month.
- There are two wings in our society with 78 flats.”
- Installing decentralized solar plants can not just boost farmer income but also help India meet its target of 50% non-fossil power capacity by 2030 and improve the financial viability of distribution companies (DISCOMs), stated a latest analysis.
- Highlighting that the rollout of the scheme has been slow for various reasons, the study stated that solar irrigation will also help in reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. “
- The issue of financing, that remains the biggest challenge to the PM-#KUSUM’s success, also needs to be addressed.
- To ensure a successful deployment of decentralized solar plants, researchers stated that it is also crucial to effectively allocate responsibilities among departments concerned, facilitate information exchange, undertake infrastructure planning, and promote linkages to energy and water efficiency.
- New challenges for implementation and sustainable scheme outcomes will arise in the future as more plants are deployed.
- Last month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, said Indian businesses need to stop looking for a "China fix", while terming the Make in India programme a strategic statement to spur the country's manufacturing.
- The renewable energy ministry has held talks with the finance ministry to approve its request to cut the import tax on solar panels from 40% to 20%,India's nascent solar modules industry, which has been growing in the shelter of high tariffs, dreads such a steep cut in import duties.
- Take the case of Apple's iPhones made in India by Tata.
- If you add to it the import of finished items where India cannot compromise growth, such as in the solar sector, it indicates a heavy reliance on China.
- It means India's project to become self-reliant in manufacturing must depend on imports from China, at least initially.
- Similarly, import of solar cells, parts, diodes slumped 70.9 per cent to $1.9 billion in 2022-23.However, import of lithium-ion batteries surged about 96 per cent to $2.2 billion last fiscal year.
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