Under the ‘Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy – 2019’ published by The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA), 40% of the targeted capacity will be designated for the consumer category of solar power systems. The Tamil Nadu government plans to implement an electricity tax exemption on the category for two years beginning from 4 February 2019.
The government will encourage all the public buildings in the state to install photovoltaic and thermal solar energy systems. It will also push corporations, municipalities and local urban bodies to use solar PV powered street lights and water supply installations.
The government plans to design appropriate incentive schemes to encourage use of solar energy generation in the agricultural sector.
It also will provide support for co-utilization of land for solar energy projects, crop cultivation and water conservation.
The Tamil Nadu government said that it will promote manufacturing of solar energy components in the state such as solar cells, batteries, mounting structures and others while also offering lands for the same.
The government also intends to support research in the solar energy sector with TEDA to collaborate with other government organizations to form a Solar Energy Research Fund.
The Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy reads: “Achieving the solar energy target for 2023 requires new policy instruments and solar energy programs, especially so for the consumer category. Enhanced grid penetration of solar energy requires smart grid management and energy storage solutions.”
Tamil Nadu is home to one of the biggest solar power projects in India in the form of the 648MW solar farm built by the Adani Group at Kamuthi with an investment of INR45.5bn ($679m).
Last year, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) revealed its plans to build a 500MW solar power plant at Kadaladi in Ramanathapuram district, as reported in The Hindu.
