Now, generate rooftop solar power in one building, adjust EB bill at another in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: In a bid to promote solar power installations, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has proposed new mechanisms of group net metering (GNM) for domestic consumers, and virtual net metering (VNM) for distribution licensee (Tangedco), government or local bodies for their consumption or against the consumption of subsidised categories.

The commission has now come up with a draft Grid Interactive Solar PV Energy Generating Systems Regulations, 2024, allowing group net metering (GNM) and virtual net metering (VNM) to promote solar energy generation. Net metering allows domestic consumer who has installed a rooftop solar plant to export excess energy into the grid and it would be adjusted against his/her energy consumption bill.

According to the draft regulation, under the GNM, a domestic consumer who has installed a grid-connected rooftop solar plant can adjust surplus solar energy injected into the grid with service connections in his/her name elsewhere. While applying for rooftop solar connection, the consumer has to indicate the domestic service connections in his/her name on the application and the proportion of the sharing ratio.

The consumers would be allowed to change the surplus energy-sharing ratio twice in a financial year. However, GNM consumers would be levied seven per cent of energy towards line loss from exported units in the mother service connection itself where the rooftop plant is installed.

The VNM would apply to distribution licensee (Tangedco) and government or local bodies for their buildings and also for the solar park/plant set up in their own or leased open land for adjustment of energy against their consumption or against the consumption of subsidised categories.

The grid interactive solar plant could be set up on own or leased land, terrace, floating solar panels on waterbodies with or without a battery energy storage system. The energy adjustment would be reckoned after deducting the line loss of seven per cent and banking charges of eight per cent. It may be noted that Tangedco has planned to set up solar parks in the districts to promote feeder-level solarisation and promote distributed generation.