NEW DELHI: Seven housing societies in Dwarka will cumulatively save around 6.5 lakh units of power and Rs 32 lakh annually after 506kW grid-connected, rooftop solar plants were energized on Saturday. The plants installed at these societies by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will benefit over 700 flats.
Solar City Initiative — Solarise Dwarka’, launched on January 7, is being implemented by BSES Rajdhani (BRPL) in collaboration with TERI and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ India) under its Indo-German solar partnership project. Out of the seven plants, four were energized by Oakridge Energy and three by Revanta Energy.
he capacity will cross 1,000kW or 1MW across more than 14 societies after some more plants are made operational soon, said a BRPL official.
Out of the seven plants, five have been installed following the RESCO business model and two through the Capex model, said an official. Under the RESCO model, the residents didn’t have to incur any capital expenditure.
Besides helping BRPL meet its renewable purchase obligation (RPO), the initiative can be utilized by the discom to minimize overloading issues in congested areas during the peak summer months. A BSES spokesperson said, “We would like to achieve at least 2.5MW of solar installation within Dwarka. We are convinced of the increased role solar and other green energy options would play in future,” said a BSES spokesperson.
Post-installation, the discom carries out an inspection to assess the quality and check if the plants meet minimum technical requirements. It also does net metering for the project.
“In view of the potential cost savings and environmental benefits, the society members took a unanimous decision to install these plants,” said a resident. “The business model offered by the installer wherein the society doesn’t have to invest any amount led to a quick decision,” he added.
This rooftop program aims to maximize the utilization of solar-rooftop potential in the south and west Delhi. Unlike conventional methods, under this program, rooftop solar installations will be provided at a single point for the entire apartment complex. In the first phase, societies are being targeted in Dwarka. Looking at the response, the program will be expanded to other residential segments across BSES.
