A Critical Analysis of Present Net Metering Regulatory Framework and Identification of Potential Barriers in the Growth of Rooftop Market

摘要

Rooftop solar in Indian market has seen a tremendous growth all these years, especially in industrial and commercial segments, increasingly in the OPEX model. Considerable efforts have been put up to develop the rooftop solar sector (40 GW targeted, out of 100 GW of grid-connected solar energy) by the government, regulatory commissions, and concerned agencies. One aspect of growth can be attributed to net metering, which is being adopted at a larger scale. Net metering with an objective to meet the self-demand of electricity by the consumers is essentially a billing mechanism which enables the consumers export the excess power into the grid. Excess power is banked with the local utility and adjusted in the bill of the consumers. This paper provides a thorough analysis of the state-wise regulatory framework for net metering and the intricacies involved in implementation.