You can honourably earn free electricity with solar rooftop: Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi promotes solar rooftops for free power, emphasizing benefits, subsidies, and environmental impact.

“With the installation of solar rooftops, households can earn free power for a long time and they need not beg for it before anybody,” said Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, in Mangaluru on Thursday (January 2, 2024).

Speaking at the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar scheme information workshop and interaction programme for beneficiaries, Mr. Joshi said people will wonder why they need to invest money in installing solar rooftop when they are getting upto 200 units of free power from the State Government under the Gruha Jyothi Scheme.

“I am not here to criticise any scheme. But I will give your facts (about solar rooftop),” Mr. Joshi said, adding, “As per various studies, an average household of five members can live comfortably by consuming 200 units of power every month. Of the 365 days in a year, sunlight is available for 265 days by which 300 units of power is produced every month from solar rooftop.”

“The excess 100 units of solar power is sold to Escom (Electricity Supply Company), which will compensate the power you consume in the night. In toto, you will have zero bill. This will be for 40 years, which is the life of a solar panel. Prime Minister has given this honourable and sustainable model of earning free power,” the Union Minister said.

Under the scheme, there is a subsidy of ₹30,000 for 1 KW solar roof, ₹60,000 for 2 KW one and ₹78,000 for solar rooftops of capacity of 3 KW and above.

“When anything is given free, people should understand that levy is charged in some form or the other to bear the cost. In case of power, the government has to increase power charges for, namely, industries and bulk consumers, to meet the cost of production,” Mr. Joshi said.

“The country is now moving towards becoming the third largest econmomy in the world. Therefore, the demand for power will continue to increase. The government is working to drastically increase power generation using renewable energy sources. The Central government intends to generate 70 gigawatt of solar power of which 30 gigawatt is through the PM Surya Ghar Scheme. In the last six months of this scheme, there have been 7.5 lakh installations,” the Minister said.