Solar Rooftop: An underrated solar source

jakson - Solar Rooftop

India is a tropical country, blessed with an abundance of sunlight, sometimes too much of it. With the number of sun rays we receive, the use of solar energy to create electricity may seem like a no-brainer. However, the reality is that our country is yet to realize its true potential as far as electricity generated through solar sources are concerned. The aforementioned solar source includes solar cells, thermal collector, tracker, shingle, rooftop, and many more. Among these, the most untapped one would be the solar rooftop. So, what could be the reason behind its lack of use?

To be truthful, India does use solar rooftops, but not enough. A major reason could be the large-scale commercial way of introduction of the solar source in the country. The aim was to propagate and reduce the costs of the device; to make it more accessible and affordable. However, all it achieved is an obstruction of implementation and development of solar rooftop segment, owing, mostly, to the unavailability of lucrative schemes and unawareness. 

Countries across the world, who adopted renewable and clean energy sources, started so, targeting households. Therefore, they have a tangible share of residential solar rooftop segment, something we acutely lack at less than 20% of the installations. The majority of solar rooftop installations in the country comes from commercial and industrial customers, along with various institutions. The reason behind this tilt of scales toward the industrial section is due to the myriad of schemes and options available to businesses in India. One of these options is the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model, in which developers take the expenses of setting up a solar rooftop and sign a contract to sell electricity. The model gives enterprises an option to go green while making minimal to no investment for the same. Such a scheme is not available to residential premises and owners. 

However, the government has recently started giving benefits to individuals installing solar panels on the premises of their residences. It could be the reason why various housing societies like Suvidha in Bengaluru and Dheeraj Dreams Building in suburban Mumbai have installed solar rooftops to reduce their electricity bills. Despite such efforts, however, there are needs to be done towards successfully implementing residential solar rooftops. With the ever-increasing rates of electricity on a global scale, not to mention adverse effects of climate change, depending on clean and renewable sources like solar seems to be the only way forward for our continued existence.