To boost the growth and production of solar energy in the state, the cabinet on Tuesday permitted amendments to be made to the Goa State Solar Policy 2017, to allow consumers to purchase renewable energy up to 100 per cent of their contract demand from open sources on a first come, first served basis. The move is expected to benefit industries by over Rs 1 per unit.
Currently, industries that require above 1MW of power are eligible to purchase up to 50 per cent of their sanctioned load under open access from 6pm to 11pm, which are considered peak hours.
According to Tuesday’s cabinet note, a maximum of 15 per cent of the total demand of the state will be open for purchase by consumers under open access on a first come, first served basis. As such, consumers that meet this criteria are allowed to draw 100 per cent of their contract demand and will be exempted from paying electricity duty for the power generated from projects under this policy for a period of 10 years.
Green energy to save industrial power consumers Rs 1.5 per unit
Open access is a provision that enables large power consumers to buy power directly from those that produce it.
There are at least 855 high tension (HT) industrial connections in Goa and 320 HT commercial consumers. A senior official said that while an HT consumer presently has to shell out an average of Rs 5 per unit to purchase power, the government’s latest decision will allow them to buy renewable energy at an average of Rs 3.5 per unit, including taxes.
The Goa State Solar Policy 2017 was amended in February 2019 and August 2020, allowing the sale of power to third parties under open access for consumers with a demand load of 1MW and above during peak hours, up to 50 per cent of the sanctioned load.
The present amendment allows consumers with demand loads of 1MW and above to draw power under open access from solar projects during day time generation and peak hours through battery-enabled storage systems on a first come, first served basis. A maximum of 15 per cent of the total demand of the state will be open for purchase.
“A minimum capacity of 1MW shall not be applicable for electric vehicle charging stations. Consumers who are willing to go for open access are allowed to take power up to 100 per cent of the contract demand,” the amendment stated.
The producer will have to establish 20 per cent of the installed capacity with a battery-enabled storage system in the first year and 40 per cent in the third year. The project should be installed within 24 months of the policy being issued. Consumers procuring power from the open access capacity shall be liable to pay any grid imbalance charges with respect to drawing of power beyond the admissible limit or contracted demand.
“Surplus energy not consumed by the off-taker must be sold to the electricity department of Goa at an average power purchase cost (APPC),” the amendment stated.
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