New Delhi, Dec 29 (KNN) In a bid to ensure clean energy, the Gujarat government on Tuesday announced a new solar policy which allows residential and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) consumers to sell the surplus power generated after meeting their consumption needs at a tariff of Rs 2.25 per unit.

The policy also offers a slew of incentives such as no ceiling on capacity to be installed and allowing consumers to lease their roofs and premises for setting up plants.

According to statements, for Residential Consumers (Surya Gujarat Yojana) and MSMEs (manufacturing) for captive usage, DISCOMs will purchase surplus energy after set off against their consumption at Rs 2.25 per unit for initial 5 years and thereafter at 75 per cent of latest tariff discovered and contracted by GUVNL through competitive bidding process for non-park based solar projects in preceding 6 months which shall remain fixed for remaining life of the project.

“In order to encourage small scale solar projects, power Distribution Companies will now purchase power from these small-scale solar projects (up to 4 MW) at 20 paise / unit tariff higher than tariff discovered through competitive bidding while DISCOMs will purchase solar power from projects above 4 MW capacity through competitive bidding process," the statement added.

The statement further said that any person, developer and consumer can set up solar projects without any capacity ceiling while the existing ceiling of 50 per cent sanctioned load and contracted demand has been removed.

“The provision for security deposit to be submitted by developers to DISCOMs has been reduced from Rs 25 lakh/ MW to Rs 5 Lakh/ MW," it added.