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					</table>In major Indian cities, residential buildings and housing complexes are adopting rooftop solar solutions and transitioning towards clean energy. This transition is primarily driven by the enticing potential for cost savings and incentives.
In the first nine months of 2023, India witnessed a notable surge in rooftop solar installations, with a total capacity exceeding 1.3 GW, marking a 12% year-over-year (YoY). The third quarter alone saw the addition of 431 MW, indicating a significant 34.7% YoY growth.
Notably, the residential segment dominated with 43% of the total installations in the quarter, as highlighted in Mercom India Research&#8217;s <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/rooftop-solar-market-report-q3-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Q3 2023 Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report</a>.
Homeowners Share Success Stories of Rooftop Solar Benefits
Amidst the growing adoption of rooftop solar, homeowners share inspiring success stories, underscoring the tangible benefits and considerable cost advantages of this renewable energy transformation.
The Westend Heights Apartment Complex in Bengaluru saves a substantial ₹400,000 ($4,801) monthly on the common area electricity costs.
According to Karthikeya Khanna, secretary of the condominium&#8217;s residential welfare association, Westend Heights&#8217; 400-kW rooftop solar system generates 45,000-47,000 units of electricity each month.
This equates to a tangible saving of ₹0.15 ($0.0018) per square foot in common area maintenance costs for every homeowner, resulting in about ₹225 (~$2.70) saved per month for a 1,500 sq. ft flat.
Khanna is optimistic about the installation breaking even in six years.
If Westend Heights is a success story of group housing embracing solar, Sudip Pramanik&#8217;s experience is of an independent home installing solar panels on the roof.
A Kolkata resident and a cybersecurity architect by profession, he gave Mercom a first-hand account of the motivation behind his decision to go solar.
Having noticed a surge in his monthly electricity bills by ₹800 (~$9.60) &#8211; ₹1,000 (~$12), due to the rising retail tariff in the state, Pramanik thought of exploring cheaper but sustainable solutions. He zeroed in on a rooftop solar system to cut electricity expenses and demonstrate his commitment to responsible resource management.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve practically eliminated fuel costs. Introducing induction (electric), cooking has not only cut our gas expenses but also prolonged the lifespan of our gas cylinder. While we&#8217;re still transitioning fully to induction, it complements our conventional gas usage.&#8221;
Like Khanna, Pramanik, who has installed a 3 kW rooftop solar system for roughly ₹170,000 (~$2,039), is looking to recover the investment in three to four years.
Pramanik advises those considering rooftop solar to consult professionals and compare quotes from different vendors. He dismisses concerns about perceived high maintenance costs.
Khanna explains how the rooftop solar installation at his condo took shape.  &#8220;Commissioning the project&#8217;s first phase, we opened terraces to all residents, creating an educational experience. From optimizing electricity consumption to converting waste into compost, sustainability is now intrinsic to our community at Westend Heights. Rooftop solar has significantly influenced the community, sparking a desire for more sustainable initiatives.&#8221;
His success mantra is to plan well, prioritize transparency in sourcing, use a template for vendor quotes instead of seeking independent quotes, and maintain open and active communication with the residents.
Overcoming hurdles in rooftop solar system deployment
While rooftop solar presents a plethora of benefits, it also has challenges.
One of the main issues affecting these projects is albedo or shading – a tall structure adjoining a roof can block the sunlight.
A seasoned technical consultant from <a href="https://usolar.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U-Solar</a>, a renewable energy platform, said, &#8220;Shading is one of the major difficulties in residential rooftop solar installations. Solar panels can be significantly less efficient due to shading from adjacent buildings or trees, which results in energy loss.&#8221;
But, this is a challenge that can be overcome. Optimizers for shaded panels and high-wattage, high-efficiency modules are some solutions U-Solar prescribes.
Shreyas Gowda, Senior Vice President of Operations at <a href="https://www.oorjan.com/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oorjan Cleantech</a>, says installing rooftop solar systems in residential housing societies is often complicated due to limited space, complex ownership structures, financial constraints, and regulatory hurdles.
&#8220;One significant hurdle is the limited rooftop area available for solar installations due to various amenities and structural limitations in residential societies. The involvement of multiple stakeholders can lead to complexities in decision-making and obtaining installation approvals,&#8221; he says.
Engaging stakeholders through a collaborative approach is key. Oorjan provides diverse and equitable financial models, exploring innovative financing options like pay-as-you-go or leasing arrangements.
Nationalized banks and non-banking financial companies also extend loans for rooftop projects.
Khanna of Westend Heights also pointed to difficulties when the rooftop system has to be installed at a height of 70 meters, for instance. &#8220;Wind speed is a concern, so the mounting structures should be strong to withstand the gush of winds up to 12-150 kmph.&#8221;
Installing rooftop solar panels for homes and businesses involves meticulous assessment and planning, where roof suitability, size, and orientation are evaluated.
Beyond quantitative measures, factors such as the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, savings on electricity bills, increased property values, and improved quality of life contribute to the project&#8217;s impact.
Recently, a residential complex in Hyderabad has <a href="https://mercomindia.com/hyderabads-housing-rooftop-solar-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">floated</a> a tender to develop a 500-kW grid-connected rooftop solar power project in Gachibowli.
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission recently <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/maharashtra-net-metering-cap-rooftop-5-mw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the net metering cap for rooftop solar power projects to either 5 MW or the consumer&#8217;s contract demand/ sanction load, whichever is lower. Net metering in the state was earlier capped at less than 1 MW.
According to Mercom&#8217;s recently released <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-leaderboard-1h-2023-market-shares-profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Market Leaderboard 1H 2023</a>, the top rooftop solar installers in India during the first half (1H) of the calendar year (CY) 2023 were <a href="https://www.tatapowersolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tata Power Solar</a>, <a href="https://www.havells.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Havells India</a>, <a href="https://enerparc.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enerparc Energy</a>, <a href="https://amplussolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amplus Solar</a>, and <a href="https://www.hartek.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hartek Solar</a>.

Residential Rooftop Solar Gains Momentum, Home Owners Go Green and Save Big

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					</table>A residential complex, <a href="https://myhomeconstructions.com/my-home-vihanga/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">My Home Vihanga</a>, in Hyderabad, has floated a tender to develop a 500-kW grid-connected rooftop solar power project in Gachibowli.
The project will fall under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) rooftop solar grid-connected program facilitated by the Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (<a href="https://tsredco.telangana.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TSREDCO</a>).
The last date for the submission of bids is October 15, 2023. Bids will be opened the next day.
My Home Vihanga Welfare Association said the power generated will primarily be used for internal purposes, with any excess power being supplied to the grid.
The scope of the project includes design, manufacture, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning, including ten years of comprehensive operation and maintenance of the project.
The project involves a rooftop solar project utilizing a net-metering system across 20 buildings, comprising ten blocks with 14 floors each, ten blocks with 17 floors each, and a six-floor clubhouse within its gated community.
Bidders must submit a non-refundable payment of ₹10,000 (~$120) as a bid processing fee. They must also furnish ₹500,000 (~$6,006) as an earnest money deposit.
The successful bidder must provide a performance bank guarantee amounting to 10% of the contract value, which should be submitted after receiving the letter of allocation (LoA).
The anticipated completion date for project commissioning will be 90 days from the date of issuing the LoA.
Bidders must have completed the installation and activation of a grid-connected solar project as part of the MNRE program. This project should have a capacity of one system with 200 kW or two systems with 100 kW each.
These installations should have been completed within the two years leading up to the bid opening date. Ideally, these installations should be in a residential complex located in Telangana.
Bidders must have installed and commissioned a combined capacity of at least 1 MW in grid-connected ground-mounted or rooftop solar projects anywhere in India over the past two years.
They should have been actively engaged in the solar power generation industry for a minimum of 5 years.
Bidders should be on the approved list of suppliers for grid-connected rooftop solar systems with a minimum capacity of 500 kW.
They should have an annual turnover of at least ₹30 million (~$360,406) in two of the three financial years immediately preceding the bid deadline.
Many residential complexes across India have turned to rooftop solar to meet their power needs.
Earlier this year, a condominium in Bengaluru went in for its third phase of rooftop solar by <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/apartment-rooftop-solar-success-expands-capacity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inviting</a> bids to install 105 kW of capacity. The apartment complex claims to be saving ₹350,000 (~$4,262) a month on power bills after opting for rooftop solar.
Mercom recently <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/the-residential-rooftop-in-kerala" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> how Kerala achieved an 18% growth in rooftop solar capacity between the second quarter (Q2) of 2022 and Q2 of 2023, with approximately ~276 MW of capacity installed.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of real-time tender activity.

Hyderabad’s Housing Complex Invites Bids for 500 kW Rooftop Solar Project

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