Pune a step closer to solar deployment

To expedite the implementation of solar energy in Pune, the recently established Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd. (PSCDCL) is initiating the ‘Pune-Maximum Solar City’ campaign as the initial step toward transforming Pune into a solar-powered city. In collaboration with Pune International Centre (PIC) and Prayas Energy Group, the PSCDCL conducted an awareness program targeting citizens and the media.

Pune, selected under the Smart City Mission, places significant emphasis on enhancing solar power usage, particularly Rooftop Solar PV (RTPV) installations within the city. This aligns with the broader national objective of achieving 100 GW of solar power by 2022, a substantial increase from its current capacity of 6 GW.

Facilitating the installation of rooftop solar systems, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) introduced net metering regulations in September 2015. Net metering credits RTPV owners for the electricity they contribute to the grid, providing an incentive for owners in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors to maximize their rooftop solar potential. Recognizing this opportunity, MSEDCL issued relevant documents, including commercial circulars, to operationalize the net metering framework.

Earlier, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elected representatives rejected the civic administration’s proposal to engage a private agency recommended by the Union government for a 30-year solar power project involving the installation of solar panels on civic buildings’ roofs. They advocated for the appointment of an alternative agency, emphasizing the financial feasibility of PMC independently executing a similar project.

Despite the initial setback, PMC had ambitious plans to increase power generation to 5 MW by the end of 2016-17, following a pilot project generating 1 MW. PMC had identified 19 civic buildings, including schools and cultural halls, as potential sites for installing rooftop solar panels to contribute to the city’s solar power generation.