With the State facing an acute power shortage, the Tamil Nadu Government in its solar energy policy has made it mandatory for large-scale power consumers to meet six per cent of their energy requirements from solar power by 2014.

The new solar energy policy envisages production of over 3,000 MW of power exclusively from solar power in the next three years.

According to the policy, it will be mandatory for high-tension consumers in SEZs, IT parks, telecom towers, colleges and residential schools, industries guaranteed with round-the-clock power supply and buildings with 20,000 sq mt built-up area to go in for 6 per cent Solar Purchase Obligation (SPO).

“The State will mandate 6 per cent SPO (starting with three per cent till December 2013 and six per cent from January 2014),” the policy note said.

On the other hand, domestic consumers, huts, cottage and tiny industries, powerlooms, LT industrial and agricultural consumers are exempted from the solar purchase obligation.

Stating that the state electricity board would administer SPO by industries, it said consumers could meet their SPO by generating captive solar power or buying equivalent to or more than their SPO from third-party developers or by purchasing power from the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO) at solar tariff.

The policy said, “Consumers desirous of availing of SPO exemption by captive solar generation shall necessarily install separate meters to measure captive generation. This mechanism will require generation of 1,000 MW by 2015.”

Domestic consumers would be encouraged to put up roof-top solar installations.

“A generation-based incentive of Rs 2 per unit for the first two years, Re 1 per unit for the next two years and Rs 0.50 per unit for the subsequent two years would be provided for all solar and solar-wind hybrid rooftops being installed before March 31, 2014. A capacity addition of 50 MW is targeted under this scheme,” it added.

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