Masters Association In Kerala Protests Against Solar Policy With Bandh

The office bearers of the Masters Association, an organisation of entrepreneurs who have invested in the solar energy sector, said in a press conference that they will observe a solar bandh (literally, solar shutdown) in Kerala on Thursday to protest the proposals in the new draft solar energy policy released by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC).

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The organisation of investors in the solar sector has termed the new draft solar energy policy issued by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission “impractical” and set to adversely affect the state’s power sector.

During the Solar Bandh, all institutions operating in the manufacturing, marketing, installation and service sectors of solar plants in Kerala will remain closed on Thursday. Office bearers J.C. Lijo (General Secretary), Noufal Rosaiz (President), Rajesh Punnadiyil (Treasurer), B. Biju and B. Sasikumar (Secretariat Members) announced that they will organize a march and a dharna to the Electricity Regulatory Commission office in Vellayambalam.

The office bearers pointed out that if the proposals in the policy are implemented, the electricity price will rise sharply and the industrial sector will be adversely affected.

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Why Solar Bandh?

The Masters Association argues that the policy has put forth several restrictive proposals, which will discourage solar adoption, increase electricity costs, and undermine central government schemes like PM Surya Ghar Mufti Bijli Yojana.

These restrictive proposals include limiting net metering to plants below 3 kilowatts, mandating 30 percent battery storage for systems above 5 kilowatts, imposing an additional INR 1 per unit as grid support charge, and ending the carry-forward of excess electricity.

The Association also points out that with only less than 1.5 percent of the Kerala State Electricity Board’s 1.41 crore consumers using solar energy, such restrictive measures are premature and should be considered only after at least 10 percent of consumers switch to solar.

Moreover, the Association is demanding wider public consultations, physical hearings in every constituency, better return on investment timelines, continuation of favourable net metering policies up to 1000 kilowatts, and mandatory banking and settlement options suited to Kerala’s climatic conditions.

Another lacuna in the draft is that it proposes stringent restrictions on issues like transformer capacity, and it warned that if these suggestions are implemented, electricity prices will surge, and both the public and industrial sectors will be adversely affected.