Tapping of solar energy - lack of meters is creating issues now for the Chennai residents
Posted on: 29/Jul/2019 10:20:51 AM
Roof top solar panels have been installed by the people of Chennai to tap solar energy is known. It is now said that getting net meter from Tangedco is very difficult for the people and they are unable to tap the solar energy due to this reason.
Information is net meter measures the quantum of power generated, consumed and provided to the grid. The non availability of the meters has been responsible for many plants installed in Chennai being idle for 3 to 6 months. It has been mentioned by the area engineers and contractors that Tangedco orders and gets net meters in batches and next batch is awaited now. It is known that these area engineers and contractors are empanelled to install solar panels.
It is worth mentioning here that different places have different waiting time. The residents in places like Mandaveli, RA. Puram etc got net meters in 3 and half months of time whereas residents of T. Nagar got net meters after waiting for 6 months of time. The important information is in TN around 6500 people have installed solar panels at their roof tops.
It was later mentioned by some Tangedco officials that the consumers could purchase net meters from the market and this was as per TNERC or Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission orders in March. It must be noted that in the past only Tangedco provided net meters. Some contractors threw light on how they were discouraged to buy net meters from the market and were coaxed to get through the discom. It is revealed that the new TNERC order would come as a blow for the roof top solar panels consumers as the reduction in their bi-monthly electricity bills would not be as much as in the past. The point is those who have installed before March in 2019 would continue to be governed by 2013 order.
The scheme would be known as ‘solar net feed-in scheme’ and 2 meters would have to be installed by the consumers. This was as per the new order. By means of one meter, solar power generation could be measured and by other meter import and export energy could be measured. It has been mentioned in the order that the first meter would be placed on the ground floor of the premises for easy access for the meter reading. The second meter shall be bi-directional meter.
Readings of both the solar generation meters as well as the bi-directional meter would be taken by the assessor. It must be noted that a new meter card would have details of meter readings, solar generation, units of import and export, monetary value of import and export energy, available credit and any other requisite details.
