Rooftop solar panels now mandatory for Gurgaon buildings
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Rooftop solar panels now mandatory for Gurgaon buildings

Any building on an area of 500 square yards or more will have to comply. Failure to do so will result in basic citizen services being withheld, says Haryana Renewable Energy Department.

Rooftop solar panels now mandatory for Gurgaon buildings

In Gurgaon, rooftop solar panels will now be seen on private bungalows, group housing societies, apartments, malls, offices, commercial complexes, schools and hospitals – basically any building constructed on a plot of 500 square yards or more.

The Haryana Renewable Energy Department (HAREDA) has made the installation of solar panels mandatory for all buildings meeting the size requirement. The minimum capacity to be installed is 1kW or 5 per cent of a building's connected load, whichever is higher.  

If the norm is not followed, basic civic amenities could be withheld — electricity connection could be snapped, or building completion certificates could be withheld.     

HAREDA principal secretary Ankur Gupta said, “The first notification regarding compulsory installation of solar power panels was issued in September 2014. In March 2016, we sent out a notification again. But even after so many notifications, nothing happened. We then decided to issue notices to HUDA, Town and Country Planning Department, MCG, Power Distribution Corporation, Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation and other bodies. We categorically wrote that unless the norm was followed, basic citizen services would be withheld. We asked the authorities to prepare a blueprint for implementation and decide a fine for defaulters.”

Gupta inaugurated Solar Power Net Metering System at National Institute of Solar Energy, Gwal Pahari, on January 2.

Explaining net metering system to City Spidey, he said, “Net metering is a two-way process, in which a person can give back unused electricity to the power corporation. Suppose an institution’s per-day generation of electricity through solar panels is 10 kW, and it needs only 6 kW, he can return the unused electricity to Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited. That amount will then be rebated from the monthy electricity bill.”

Residents have welcomed the move.

VM Singh, Suncity RWA secretary, said, “The decision should be implemented strictly, with strong penalties for failing to comply. This move will help especially in summer and reduce our electricity bills.”

RK Yadav, RWA president of Sector 46, felt the same way. He said, “This step will save electricity, solve the load-shedding problem to a great extent and reduce our dependence on invertors and generators.”

However, he thinks the size criteria should be changed to 269 square yards instead of 500 square yards.