In a move that was feared and long seen coming, India has decided to levy a 25% safeguard duty on solar panels imported from China and Malaysia. The duty will be levied on all panels imported between 30th July 2018 to 29th July 2019. For further one year, the duty will be reduced to 20% and then 15% between six months intervals.

The import duty prima-face has been placed in order to encourage the local solar panel manufacturers in the country in a push to the Make in India effort. However, with the majority of top solar projects using these imported panels especially from China, this will at least in the short term create choppy waters. Add in the confusion surrounding GST, the solar industry has a fight on its hands.

The notification for the duty was released by the Ministry of Finance on July 30th, 2018 and it would be very interesting to see how will the industry react and whether the pricing will get even more volatile. The safeguard duty order is available both in English and Hindi and can be read in detail here.

Editor update: Aug 14: The duty has been deferred for now

With the economics of going solar a lot more feasible and the advancement of technology, today the thought of independent power for your home is a very lucrative thought. At MYSUN we custom design rooftop solar solution for hundreds of houses across the country every day and we come across a new challenge every time. However, the biggest challenge is the feasibility check.

This feasibility check is usually financial as well as geographical. The financial feasibility check is easy. You run the MYSUN Solar Calculator and see if solar makes financial sense for you from a returns point of view. If you are looking to not invest the full amount at one go, you can also utilize the MYSUN Flexi-pay™ option using which you can break your payments in simple interest-free EMIs.

However, beyond financial feasibility, there are a lot of geo lead feasibility checks. These checks are listed below to help you make up your mind if you are considering installing a rooftop solar system.

Are there too many shadow casting objects near your roof?

The best way to check this is to walk up to your rooftop and see the shadows on it. If there are nearby objects such as trees, pillars, poles which cast a lot of shadows, then this is not a very good news. Shadow casting objects tend to reduce the solar output for your solar system. The above image is a 9.4kW Solar System at Nirvana Country Project, Sector 50, Gurgaon. As can be seen, there is no shadow casting object nearby. 

However, an accurate shadow analysis is only possible to post a Site Survey for solar and there is quite a possibility that even though there are shadow casting objects they may not come in the way of your solar system. Therefore, always call for an expert for site survey before you decide to invest in a solar system on your rooftop

Do you own the roof rights?

As the name suggests, Solar Rooftop System needs your rooftop to be installed. Therefore, unless you have the requisite rights of the rooftop, you will not be able to enjoy the benefits and savings of the rooftop solar system. For this, an independent house owner is an ideal rooftop solar customer.

However, if you stay in a society or an apartment, you should speak to your RWA or the builder to install rooftop solar on the building so that not just you but the entire building can enjoy the benefits of solar. Several societies in Mumbai have been able to bring down their electricity bills by installing a common solar rooftop system.

Condition of the Rooftop

While you may own rights to your rooftop, the conditioning of the rooftop is required to be at least moderate. Since solar panels are mounted on metallic structures, the rooftop should be able to bear the weight of the entire system. If you are already seeing cracks on your rooftop, you are better advised to repair the rooftop before going for a solar roof. 

However, the condition of your rooftop can be accessed very accurately when you opt for a site survey for your system by experts who can then make a better judgment whether the rooftop is conducive for installation or not.

Background of the Installer

While there are several thousand companies that install solar in India, your choice of the installer is going to be absolutely key. After all, a premium quality solar system can last you as far as 25 years. Therefore, the solar system you purchase is most likely to be a gift to your upcoming generations and we are sure, you would never cut corners for it.

When selecting an installer, insist on checking out their previous work, gauge their expertise on the subject and do a thorough background check. At MYSUN, in order to give you this peace of mind for 25 years, we offer MYSUN Assured™, which is an extended warranty and top of the line service package where not just today, we take care of your solar system for years to come maintaining the generation so that the benefits are maximized.

Quality of the Equipment

As aforementioned, premium solar systems last 25 years and therefore your benefits are maximized when you go for a high rated system that has been tested, certified and has a good reputation in the market. It is owing to this that at MYSUN we only use Tier 1 inverters and solar panels which are rated across the world and are of foreign make.

You should not compromise on the quality for saving a couple of thousand Rupees here and there because in the long run, a high-quality solar system will be worth its weight in gold. Ratings of most of the solar equipment are available online and always insist on checking the make before you commit to your solar system.

A big brand supplying equipment globally is more likely to honor the warranty and be quick to replace faulty components as compared to a brand where the production cycle in itself is slow. Avoid being penny wise and pound foolish and go in for the best quality you can find.

Financing Options

While the economics of going solar is far more favorable now than ever before thanks to the falling costs, going solar is still a one time expense. Therefore, you should explore solar financing options too in case you want to go solar and are unable to afford the system right away. At MYSUN, MYSUN Flexi-Pay and MYSUN Deferred Payment Agreement allows our customers to build their own payment plans.

With easy EMI based payback options these plans are extremely popular among our customers as it allows them flexibility without having to compromise on the benefits of going solar. With tie-ups with several financing institutes, MYSUN can also help you out with several external financing options so that you no longer have to wait for your solar system due to financial constraints.

Permissions, Timelines and Solar Policy

It is imperative that you go through the solar policy of your state so that you are well aware of all the rules and regulations when you  in your region. This would allow you to discuss realistic timelines with your installer and be able to gauge the scope of work especially in the last mile which more often than not is a cause of the delay. You can go through the solar policies of all the states in India on MYSUN here.

With the above seven points in mind, you will not just be best prepared when you go solar but will also be able to select the right solar partner. At MYSUN we take care of each of the above seven points for you in the most customized fashion. Right from a high-tech site survey to an engineering solution to installation to financing and then commissioning, it is only right to say that MYSUN is your perfect solar partner. So what are you waiting for? Let’s GoSolar.