The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has approved a Rs 4 billion project to install grid-tied rooftop solar power systems on all government buildings in the union territory.
The administrative council has sanctioned the solarisation of these buildings with an aggregate capacity of 70 MW in capital expenditure mode and 200 MW in renewable energy service company mode. The project, set to be implemented by the Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA), aims to leverage the vast rooftop spaces of government establishments for solar energy generation.
These systems will include bi-directional smart meters, and the discoms will provide virtual net metering benefits to adjust the additional energy generated against other electrical connections of the same department. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025 and will be maintained free of cost for five years by JAKEDA through empanelled vendors.
Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has allocated Rs 10 billion to incentivise rooftop solar installations. Each installation will result in a Rs 1,000 incentive for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The aim is to promote the usage of residential rooftop solar systems under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
According to the guidelines, district level committees will be formed and chaired by the district magistrate. They will monitor the participation and promotional activities of the local bodies and the fund releases. Also, direct financial support will be provided to authorised accounts of ULBs and PRIs. The scheme was approved in February 2024 and has a total budget of Rs 750.21 billion. The target is 10 million rooftop solar installations in households by 2026-27. The Budget 2024-25 has allocated Rs 62.5 billion for this scheme. Recently in July 2024, incentives for distribution companies under this scheme were also announced.
