Grid connected Solar Roof top systems with NET meter are becoming popular as many state Utility ESCOMS have started accepting excess generated solar power from the consumer roof top & pay for this. MNRE is providing 30% subsidy through state Nodel agencies & commercial establishments are getting additional benefit of A.D of 80% in the first year which is making solar power plants popular.

MNRE has already sanctioned installation of Roof top solar power plants of 43.25 MW size to 11 states with subsidy amount of 129.58 cr & already released amount of 1.26 cr to CREST & 2.41 cr to NREDCAP. Solar Inverter is main part of solar power plant which is an electronic equipment & need regular service support when ever Inverter becomes faulty.

MNRE took initiative to empanel the local Inverter manufacturers & has already empanelled 27 companies. They have denied the empanelment to many companies who were not having the local manufacturing facility in India. But after this empanelment MNRE are not insisting the State Nodel agencies to use the MNRE empanelled Inverters makes for their projects.

Due to this state Nodel agencies TEDA (Tamil Nadu), NREDCAP (A.P) have empanelled Chinese make Inverters for their projects. Even though there are more than 15 manufacturers are manufacturing Grid Tied Inverters in the MNRE empanelled list, Solar Installers in Tamil Nadu & A.P are importing Inverters from China since TEDA & NREDCAP allowed to use cheap Inverters from China.

As per the MNRE terms these Inverters should have 5 years warranty & the life of the Inverters are more than 10 years. Both MNRE & state nodel agencies are not bothered about the availability service facility locally and these Inverters are imported & sold by very small traders & in case of any fault in the Inverters there will be no service support.

Finally the end consumer who is not aware of this issue will be the sufferer & the local manufacturers who are MSME units will not have any business due to unhealthy competition from China supplies. These solar Inverters should comply the safety standards like Anti Islanding (IEC 62116), Safety of Inverters (IEC 62109), Utility Interface (IEC 61727) , but many of the installations happening in A.P where Inverters do not comply to these standards.

This is very dangerous to maintenance persons of Escoms there is a possibility of getting shock if the Inverters do not have Anti Islanding test certificate, Consumers can get shock from the Inverters if Inverter do not have Safety test certificate and finally consumers equipment can get damaged if the Inverter do not have Utility Interface test report which also is a requirement as per CEA guidelines.

Also they should insist for all safety certifications for Inverters to safe guard the end consumers, utility maintenance peoples. BESCOM (Karnataka) has already came out with Net meter policy & they are the only state insisting for MNRE approved Inverters & also all safety certifications. Many other states like Punjab, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Rajasthan, Delhi are in process of calling tenders for solar roof top with Net meter & they may go with Chinese Inverters & ignore all safety regulations if MNRE doesn’t advice them.

Do you know Sir, we had a huge number of companies which were producing UPS (Un-interrupted Power Supply Systems) over 30000 families were dependent on them, to most of these companies have churned there employees, there is there is hardly an engineer to attend to so called, down time has increased barring a few companies to more the 24 hours. In Engineering Colleges—Specialization in Power Electronics is last sort after subject. As Chinese product takes over in MSME business, we are mere traders. Those companies which fed over 30000 families are now struggling even to feed 20000 families. They have resorted to change in product line - most of them started manufacturing inverters. I Ask you Why Mr. Prime Minister. Your big Power Push is really good but please take care of Middle Class India. The Aam Adami. If Chinese are so cheap let them put their factories in India and compete with our fellow Indians. I am sure even with better technology at their disposal they will get a tough fight from our Brother Indians.

I write this, with deep pain in my heart as you had promised End to Corruption, but you bring laws these Indian Agencies will have the gumption to disobey you or find way. Indian Manufacturer will betrayed not by the Nodel Agency, but your face value which made you what you are today will go down drastically. I was trying to tell the truth, Sorry if I hurt your sentiment. Do update me if I am wrong.

Dr. Sai Krishnan
sai@softdiskindia.com
HP : +9329224092