PANAJI
At a time when Goa is hard-pressed for power, the consumers are looking at options to mitigate their needs and some are turning to solar energy. But the solar scenario in Goa is not so heart-warming. In fact it is pathetic, more so, because Goa is a privileged State where there are 275 sunny days in a year, which can be a boon for the prosumers (producers and consumers) of solar power. But sadly, most of this solar energy that could be utilised and applied to so many usages, simply goes waste.
The scheme for promotion of grid connected rooftop system with net metering was announced by the Central government. In lieu with it, the Goa State Solar Policy, notified in December 2017 was with 50 % interest free loan component. Due to the very low response the policy was amended in February 2019 with 50 % capital subsidy to beneficiaries of residential/institution and 20 % subsidy to commercial/industrial.
GEDA is the nodal agency which interacts with MNRE for implementation of centrally sponsored schemes as well as schemes of the government of Goa in the field of new and renewable resources. According to Sanjeev Joglekar, member secretary, GEDA, the total subsidies released till date (January 2023) for a total of 177 domestic beneficiaries who produced 0.8 MW solar power, is Rs 2,64,40,818, and for 42 commercial beneficiaries who produced 1.46 MW solar power, the subsidy amount is Rs 58,18,658. The total of these two amounts to Rs 3,22,59,476.
There were total four categories in which the solar power installations in Goa happened – domestic, commercial, industrial and institutional/government buildings informs Joglekar. There were 390 beneficiaries in domestic category, generating 4.36 MW, 85 beneficiaries in commercial category generating 7.56 MW and 36 beneficiaries in industrial category generating 9.39 MW solar power. There were 16 government or institutional buildings across Goa where such solar power rooftop systems were installed, and these generated 1.56 MW.
The scheme for promotion of solar water heating system is notified under which the total number of subsidies released in the year 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 were 222, 223 and 114 respectively and the capacity (LPD) was 38,095, 39,750 and 20,300 for these years whereas the amount of subsidies released for these three years in row was Rs 9,96,000, Rs 9,69,000 and Rs 5,46,000 respectively.
The scheme for promotion of biogas based on kitchen/organic waste is notified under which the subsidy is released to 13 residential beneficiaries and government locations. The State government is encouraging the consumers by providing subsidy. The Scheme for Promotion of Grid Connected Solar Rooftop System with net metering system is notified so that the beneficiaries can avail subsidy up to 50 % in the State of Goa, which is not available in any other State in India.
If we recall, some time ago the power minister Sudin Dhavalikar had announced that in order to overcome the power woes the government would formulate a solar policy and introduce it. Stating that Goa does not have a single power generation plan, power minister Dhavalikar had announced that the government is encouraging the use of solar panels and a scheme for farmers has been launched, which benefits them with a subsidy of 90 per cent on total expenditure.
All power ministers have been promising ‘light’ to all, but sadly, the solar energy remains underutilised. A year ago, in 2021, the State government had started preparing a 100 % renewable energy plan with the assistance of the Union government's MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) to achieve the goal of cent per cent use of renewable energy and in a letter to the Union government the then power minister Nilesh Cabral had stated that Goa required 540 MW power during the day and 640 MW during the peak hours between 6-11 pm.
“The govt has notified a solar policy with 50 % subsidy on benchmark cost, however till date, only 15 MW installations have been completed,” Cabral had admitted and also announced that the State government had decided to set up floating solar power plants at Selauli, Amthanem, Anjunem and Chapoli dams on a design, build, finance and operate model for a period of 25 years and had invited expression of interest for selection of solar power developers.
