Tamil Nadu Aims For 9 GW Solar By 2023

• Tamil Nadu has unveiled its Solar Energy Policy 2019 after it put it out for feedback and public consultation in September 2018
• At least 40% of this capacity will need to come from consumer category solar energy systems
• State energy development agency TEDA will implement the policy and will also set up a Solar Energy Research Fund (SERF) to facilitate and support research in the sector in collaboration with other government departments
• TANGEDCO will initiate energy storage projects, solar parks, floating solar parks either on its own or as joint ventures in collaboration with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)

The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has officially released its Solar Energy Policy 2019 with a target of 9 GW of solar energy generation capacity by 2023. Of this, 40% will be reserved for consumer category solar energy systems, which means rooftop solar.

Under its Vision Tamil Nadu 2023, the state was aiming for 5 GW of solar energy capacity, but India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) proposed a 9 GW target for the state to achieve till 2022. The state government has now finalized a plan with a 9 GW target to be achieved by 2023. It will comprise not only PV but also solar thermal energy technologies.

In its draft version launched in September 2018, the policy suggested targeting 8,884 MW of solar by 2022 with 3,553 MW reserved for rooftop solar systems (see Tamil Nadu Draft Solar Energy Policy 2018). As of March 31, 2018, Tamil Nadu's cumulative solar PV capacity was 2,034 GW, according to Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA).

For utility scale solar power projects, the government will launch competitive bidding rounds. Consumers opting for rooftop solar power systems will be exempted from the electricity tax for a period of 2 years. All new service connection meters in the state will be configured for bidirectional energy recording and display.

The government will also promote manufacturing of solar energy components including cells, inverters, mounting structures, batteries by providing land, single window approval processes, among other incentives.

Another feature of the policy is setting up of a Solar Energy Research Fund (SERF) to facilitate and support research in the sector. This will be launched by TEDA in collaboration with other government departments.

While TEDA will be the implementing agency for this policy, state utility Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) will design and facilitate the development of innovative solar energy projects in the form of public private partnerships (PPP) or build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) modes, in consultation with TEDA.

TANGEDCO will also initiate energy storage projects, solar parks, floating solar parks either on its own or as joint ventures in collaboration with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

The policy is effective from February 4, 2019 and will remain in effect till it is superseded or modified by another policy. It will come up for review on an annual basis.

The policy can be accessed on TEDA's website.