Karnataka to accelerate rooftop solar rollout across government buildings

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will accelerate the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (RTPV) systems on government buildings under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, prioritising offices that have adequate rooftop space.

Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, Gaurav Gupta, reviewed the progress of solarisation of government buildings and the payment mechanism under the scheme at a meeting with senior officials from various departments at the BESCOM corporate office in Bengaluru.

The Public Works Department has been designated the nodal agency for surveying government buildings, while Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) will implement rooftop solar projects through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.


Priority will be given to Deputy Commissioners’ offices and other government buildings with suitable rooftop space, Gupta said.

The programme will be implemented through two models — Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) and capital expenditure (CAPEX).

Under the RESCO model, government departments will not have to make upfront capital investments. Developers will bear the project cost and be responsible for operation, maintenance, equipment replacement and performance monitoring during the contract period.

The model is expected to help government departments lower electricity costs and generate revenue by selling surplus power to the grid, Gupta said.

Under the CAPEX model, the concerned ministry or department will own the rooftop solar project, using its own funds or loans from banks and financial institutions. An engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) developer will be selected through competitive bidding and will undertake construction, commissioning and operation and maintenance for a predetermined period.

At the end of the contract period, the system will be transferred to the department concerned.

Power generated from the rooftop systems will first be used for the building’s own consumption, with surplus electricity being fed into the grid. Electricity distribution companies will issue monthly bills based on grid consumption and provide incentives for surplus power exported from the rooftop systems.

BESCOM and other electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) will support grid connectivity, metering and regulatory compliance for the projects, BESCOM managing director N Shivashankar said.

KPTCL managing director Ram Prasath Manohar, KREDL managing director Divya Prabhu, and senior officials from the Energy Department and other departments attended the meeting.

The state government said the solarisation programme would reduce dependence on conventional power, lower carbon emissions and improve energy sustainability across government buildings.