In a major decision that is going to change the entire domestic rooftop solar market, the Government on Friday allowed people to install rooftop solar plants on their own and get the net metering from the DISCOM concerned and 40 % subsidy from the Centre.

So far, households have to install the rooftops from the list of vendors allowed by the companies states concerned. The move is going to reduce the installation cost substantially bring more competition to the market and promote domestic solar rooftops.

“It will now not be necessary for any household to get the rooftop installed by any listed vendors,” directed Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh while reviewing the progress of the Roof Top Scheme.

During the progress review report, he directed officials to further simplify the Roof Top Scheme, so that the people are able to access it easily, said a senior officer of the Ministry

“The households may also install the rooftop by themselves or get the rooftop installed by any vendor of their choice, and inform the distribution company about the installation along with a photograph of the system which has been installed,” the Ministry said.

The intimation to the DISCOM of the installation of the rooftop can be given either in the material form through a letter or on the designated website which has been set up by every DISCOM and by the Govt. of India for the Roof Top Scheme.

The Ministry has directed all the distribution companies to make sure that net metering is provided within 15 days of the information being received, the Ministry said. Further, the subsidy to be given by the Government—40% for the rooftop of upto 3 KW capacity and 20% beyond that upto 10 KW would be credited automatically to the account of the householder by the DISCOM within 30 days of the installation, the Ministry said.

In order to ensure that the quality of the solar panel and the inverter is according to the prescribed standard, the government would publish from time to time the lists of solar panel manufacturers and inverter manufacturers whose products meet the expected quality standards and the price lists thereof and the householder can select the solar panels and inverter of his choice.

However, the option of getting the rooftop installed by any of the vendors designated by the DISCOM remains available as earlier.  In such cases also, the householder may select the solar panel and inverter of his choice.