In a bid to push the interest and encourage consumers to go solar, the Administration of Chandigarh has announced a subsidy of 30%, with a target of achieving 50MW by 2022. With costs of solar power anyway at an all time low, this subsidy would only make the grass even greener. Kirron Kher, a famous actress and Member of Parliament speaking at an inauguration of a solar project in Chandigarh supported the move and urged the residents to make most of the opportunity and to invest in rooftop solar.

In an attempt to find out what this subsidy would mean for an average residential customer in Chandigarh, we ran his case through our proprietary MYSUN Solar Calculator. We assumed that the bill of the residential customer is Rs 4,000 and found that without any subsidy, he stands to save up to Rs 609 on his monthly bill. This translates into a Return on Investment of 24.6% annually, without any subsidy. Take into consideration this 30% subsidy that would be available and you are looking at returns in the range 50% year on year, with the total cost of just Rs 22,445. While the figures may seems way too good to be true, they are real.

Apart from this subsidy from the centre, CREST or Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science & Technology Promotion Society is also offering a handsome reward of Rs 1,00,000 award to the RWA that performs the best in Chandigarh in terms of solar, thereby ensuring that there is not just enough interest among individual residents in going solar but also ensuring that there is a strong word of mouth and the neighbours are also enrolled. CREST officials are targeting installations of more than 2,000 residential homes within a year thanks to this incentive. Although Chandigarh ranks on top when it comes to cities with rooftop installations in India on Government buildings, the growth has been slow on private rooftops. This has been primarily attributed to lack of awareness and information among the residents. With an award for the RWA, you would expect a lot of community effort will go into pushing the initiative.

You can also avail solar capital subsidy for schools, colleges, hospitals, NGOs, etc. Please read more about this subsidy here.

While you should anyway register your rooftop on MYSUN when you decide to go solar and we will duly connect you to the right developers and partners in Chandigarh to help you go solar, you can also visit the website of CREST which has more information. So hurry up and make most of the opportunity and go solar. If you are not from Chandigarh, you need not get disappointed as SECI (under MNRE) has also announced a subsidy of at least 30% for all the states and UTs in India, and you can read more about the same here .

With the massive target of the National Solar Mission of 2022 looming large, the Government of India is going the extra mile to make energy consumers switch to solar PV power by providing financial rebates to the early movers, even though solar power is already financially viable for a lot of energy consumers in India. One such notable step in the direction has been the 500 MW rooftop Grid-connected Solar PV Rooftop Tender by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

According to the SECI rooftop tender, a select category of energy customers across India can avail about 30% subsidy on the solar system cost. Some special states such as North Eastern States, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands, etc. are eligible for up to 70% subsidy. In addition to that, the consumers also get 5 years of operations and maintenance free of cost. The eligible consumers for this subsidy are independent house owners, housing societies, schools, colleges, temples, hospitals, etc.. Therefore, if you are planning to take your home solar or happen to be running an educational institution or a hospital, you can benefit massively from this program, which is open to all 29 states and Union Territories.

While we have explained the rooftop solar subsidy for social and institutional consumers on our blog, here is how the residential users, individual houses, housing societies and RWAs can hugely benefit from this subsidy and substantially reduce their electricity bills while at the same time contribute to the environment and give a green environment to their families and the community at large.

If you like to do your Math, you would have by now run the MYSUN Solar Calculator and would have got your personalized Solar Scorecard. Countless electricity consumers who have run the MYSUN Solar Calculator across India have already reported huge potential energy savings and Return on Investment (ROI) in the range of 16~24% on their investment in rooftop solar PV panels.

With the prospect of this additional 30% subsidy on solar power rooftop panels/ systems, going solar now is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. Just to quote an example, a solar system available for INR 60,000 per kW in Delhi can be obtained for Rs 40,000 under this subsidy. You can check your personalized and fairly accurate savings potential and system cost in a rather detailed fashion by running the MYSUN Solar Calculator that gives you a snapshot of your solarisation potential here. For a more detailed look at the state-wise allocation and solar power system subsidy in your state, you can view the list here. Moreover, there are additional benefits and you can check all the details with regards to the solar policy in your state by clicking here.

Let’s try and elucidate our point by taking say an example of two more cities - Hyderabad and Jaipur. Below you will see the solarization benefits for a typical residential energy consumer living in Hyderabad and Jaipur respectively.

Now taking into consideration the 30% SECI subsidy, just look at the exponential rise in the returns. The ROI for the customer in Jaipur goes from 20.27% to 31.28%, while the same for the resident from Hyderabad goes from 31.01% to 51.29%

SECI has enabled both, CAPEX(show) and RESCO(show) ownership models for systems, making the choice of ownership simpler. Moreover, you can also avail of the Net-metering facility in your state and your solar installer will help you get all the approvals for the same. Given that this is a limited time scheme, we urge you to make your decision fast and Register your Rooftop with MYSUN immediately. Remember, the early bird gets the worm.

As your solar enabler and an unbiased marketplace, MYSUN ensures that you get the most competitive quotes from a number of reliable solar installers near you. We promise to simplify solar for you, answer all your queries and doubts about solar power and to be there throughout your solar journey. Once you are on the MYSUN platform, we ensure that you get the best quotes from our list of pre-screened installers and developers who deliver you high quality solar systems adhering to MYSUN standards on quality, pricing, solar system design and engineering, maintenance, etc.. If you want to check the solar financing or loan options, you don’t need to look beyond MYSUN who has tied-up with several banks and financial institutes that help you with the right financial product. For the next 25 years, you can bank upon our team for complete support and assistance. We are literally an E-Mail or a phone call away, and you can find all those details right on our contact us page.

Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) announced a 500MW Rooftop Tender. Significantly, this tender includes a Central Financial Assistance (Subsidy) of up to Rs 22,500/kWp* to those customers who are eligible. Under the program, only residential, institutional or social sector customers can participate. The subsidy is available on a first come first serve basis to the customers, so if you plan to go solar, we advise that you make the most of this opportunity and go solar. A very concise snapshot of the tender and its briefings have been captured in a separate blog post by the MYSUN team here. While the tender has listed Solar Financial Assistance for all the 29 states and Union Territories, most of them have a subsidy of up to 30%. There are special states such as North Eastern States, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands that have a higher share of rebate, of up to 70%. Therefore it is critical to chart down which state has how much project allocation out of 500MW and therefore how much subsidy. We have collated that data and listed it for you below. It is worth noting that the tender has been divided into three parts, Part A, B and C depending upon the solar system size and ownership model, which has an affect on the subsidy that you can avail. Part A, B and C are detailed below:

Upto 25 kWp	– PART C (One project may comprise of several rooftop units)
25 kWp ~ 500 kWp	– PART A and PART B

Now that you are familiar with that nomenclature, below you will find the state-wise capacity allocation as well as the allocation for subsidy under the SECI program. With all that information handy, we sure we do not even need to invite you or share with you why we think this is indeed the perfect opportunity and time for you to go solar. So go ahead, register your rooftop with MYSUN and begin your journey to go solar and make the most of this limited time opportunity that SECI has presented. Image Source: The Hans India

A solar PV system today, is not just a great source of savings, but is also a great financial investment which can give you an ROI as high as 20%. But what if we tell you there is an additional 30% capital subsidy for you? Too good to be true? Not really!

This limited time scheme, launched by GOI and SECI, has earmarked a capacity of 2 MWp for the residents of Delhi. You may be amongst the very few residents who can buy a solar PV system at approx Rs 40,000 per kW against a market price of approx Rs 60,000 per kW.

There has never been a better time to go solar, thanks to this opportunity. Don’t let it go. You can buy a Solar PV system up to 25kWp capacity. Check your ideal system size here.

See the illustration below for a Delhi residential consumer on his/her solarization potential without 30% capital subsidy:

Now, let us consider the 30% subsidy and see the impact below:

*Pls note that the actual system size and savings will vary depending on actual site conditions

Still lost in thoughts?, We have made it really simple for you to earn this subsidy and start your journey to go solar. Welcome to a first-of-its-kind consumer-focused online solar marketplace, MYSUN, where not only all your queries about solar are answered, but we connect you with multiple pre-screened solar installers to get the best price and quality solar system for you.

What MYSUN does?

• Simplifies solar for you
• Provides a trademark Solar Calculator to help you understand the benefits and to calculate your savings
• Allows you to Register your Rooftop and connects you with several quality solar installers
• Conducts safe and highly advanced Site Assessment service
• Ease and technical support of selecting the best installer for you with an online buying facility
• 25-year support from MYSUN including during installer selection, comparing different quotes, selecting the best quality product, installation and service

In short, MYSUN is your Solar enabler, so sign up now by visiting us here and earn all the benefits and more of going solar.

You can reach out to us using the details on our Contact us page here.

For those of you living in Delhi, our team will be visiting your neighborhood soon and will be pleased to answer any queries and to help you register your rooftop. To register your interest, please leave a comment below or reach out to us via our Social Media handles or E-Mail.

A common issue with something aspirational and very hot off the press is that everybody seems to think they know it inside out, yet very few get to reach the depths of reality. Solar too, is a victim to this. The general thought process is that, we have seen the sun right from our birth and how much more could there be about it or for that matter, about generating electricity from it? Most of you would be aware of the process but let's have a look at some of the solar energy information and facts.

It is fairly straightforward that solar energy falling onto solar panels is converted into electricity and is then transmitted through transmission lines, a bit like how conventional power generated is transmitted. It sounds really simple and easy. And perhaps, that is why, a lot of people think they know solar energy facts well, but there is more than what meets the eye. Not complicated stuff like a rocket lifting off, but a little more than what the next door neighbour would tell you. No wonder, there are several things that you hear about solar systems, that cannot be further away from the truth.

While we have tried to cover most of these in the form of FAQs on our site, we still thought, we will pick up the most common thoughts and facts about the solar system, that get peddled around as truth but in reality, aren’t.

We plan to do this in a series format, what you see here are five popular myths around solar busted, we will follow this up with another set, and so on.

Myth: Solar Power is very expensive.

Reality: Isn’t it like a paradox? Solar is supposed to be cheap, given how widely the energy from the sun is available, yet the perceived notion is that it is more expensive. However, the reality is distinctly different. Unlike the traditional power generation sources, the solar industry in general has seen rapid developments. Thanks to some brilliant engineering masterminds coming together, economies of scale and other market forces, over the last decade, the upfront cost of solar has seen a steep decline. The initial cost of installation has dropped by almost 75%, which is extremely significant. The technological advancement in general has not only made the components cheaper but also more efficient and reliable. This has resulted into solar power becoming cheaper for a lot of consumers, be it residential, commercial or industrial consumers. So to think, that solar is expensive, is well, a myth and nothing more. Take for example, a typical residential consumer in New Delhi who pays a monthly bill of Rs. 5000. The savings he racks up over 25 years goes to show that solar is anything but expensive.

Myth: Solar systems are high maintenance.

Reality: Solar systems are made in such a way, that there are no moving parts involved. And by the laws of physics, something that is not moving will experience less wear and tear and therefore likely to last longer. Generally speaking, grid-connected solar systems need almost negligible maintenance. 8 out of 10 users that we surveyed about their upkeep habits, across various segments, stated that they casually just wait around for the rain to perform the cleaning for them! This usually leads to about 5-7% reduction in the efficiency of the panels. We obviously would not advocate a completely reckless attitude to your investment. It would be a good practice to hose the panels off, once a month, as it helps in removing any unwanted materials that may have accumulated on them over a period of time. A cursory check on the panels for any visible spots or cracks could also help in ensuring that the generation is right and within the expected range.

Myth: A Solar PV system doesn’t work at all in overcast conditions.

Reality: The crux of this myth comes from the fact that power generated is directly related to sunlight, right? We would be more than glad to squash this misnomer. Solar panels work just fine under ambient light aka, cloudy or not so sunny conditions. Unlike shade, overcast conditions allow at least some sunlight to reach your system. The reduction in the amount of power generated under mildly overcast to heavily cloudy situations varies between 5-10% to 60-70% of the total output, respectively. Moreover, cloudy conditions lead to a dip in temperatures of the location in which the system is located, which is actually beneficial to the system as observed in some parts of the world. Germany, anyone?

Myth: Solar PV only works in areas with very high temperatures.

Reality: Contrary to popular belief, solar panels work at their efficient best when the temperatures are not too hot. The science behind this is fascinating and worth reading about. Sunlight comprises of photons, that carry the requisite energy required to start the photovoltaic or PV effect. These photons transfer this energy to the electrons in the solar panels, which constitute of the solar PV cells. The energised electrons move from a state of low energy to high energy. A solar cell is designed to extract these excited electrons and run them through a circuit to produce electricity. However, under extremely hot conditions, these electrons get more excited and vibrate faster than they would normally. As a result, these electrons bump into other atomic constituents of a solar cell, converting this extra energy into excessive heat. Hence, their ability to generate electricity is reduced and this has adverse effects on the output of the solar system.

Myth: Manufacturing of a solar panel creates more greenhouse emissions than it saves in the future, which kind of offsets the benefits.

Reality: This is an interesting one. Sure, it is true that carbon dioxide is emitted in the production of a solar panel to the tune of about 70 grams of carbon dioxide per kWh generated. However, these panels are “carbon negative”. In fact, it takes 2-3 years to generate as much power to compensate for the amount that was required to manufacture them, and they still have another 25 years to run! Add to the fact, during their lifetime solar panels still produce less than 30 times the carbon dioxide than what their fossil fuel counterparts do and you know you are looking at an environmental friendly solution. So therefore, pretty apt to state that while solar panels may consume resources when they are young, they grow up to be magnificent adults, that help keep our environment healthy and fresh.

Which of the solar myths above that we busted did you once believe in? Or is there a myth that we perhaps have not covered and missed out on? Go ahead and share it with us in the section below or catch us up on Social Media, links to which are located in the footer. We would love to hear from you.