Rooftop Solar Awareness Workshop,Vaidyanathan Street, Shenoy Nagar.
Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) conducted a Rooftop Solar Awareness Workshop at Vaidyanathan Street, Shenoy Nagar on Wednesday , 24 September, from 3.00 PM to 5.00 PM. The workshop was attended by approximately 20 participants (all living in independent homes) from Shenoy Nagar.
Workshop Overview
Ms. Aleena, Consultant, CAG, welcomed the participants. She introduced CAG and provided an overview of CAG's role in supporting energy transition. Ms. Aleena also explained the purpose of the workshop to participants. Attendees also received IEC materials detailing system fundamentals, installation procedures, investment costs, and available incentives.
Ms. Aleena, Consultant, CAG, provided an in-depth presentation on rooftop solar PV systems. Her session covered the following key aspects of rooftop solar PV systems.
- Types of rooftop solar PV Systems.
- Key guidelines and checklists for rooftop solar installation.
- Area specific requirements and capacity for installation.
- PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
Mr. Aleena, CAG, explaining the benefits of rooftop solar PV systems
The CAG team offered a comprehensive overview, highlighting the benefits of rooftop solar and the installation process. This equipped participants with a deeper understanding of the benefits and practical steps involved in adopting solar energy solutions.
Participants Queries and Engagement
The workshop featured a question-and-answer segment that prompted strong engagement from participants. Attendees eagerly sought clarification on various aspects of rooftop solar implementation. Some of the questions are as follows:
- A participant enquired about the time taken for the installation.
Explanation : After finalising the vendor, the actual installation of the rooftop solar system varies between 7 to 15 days, depending on the system size and the site conditions. For net metering, the time taken for approval by the distribution company (DISCOM) can vary between 7 to 14 days.
- A participant inquired about whether bidirectional meters were mandatory
Explanation: A bidirectional meter is mandatory. If a house has a unidirectional meter, it must be replaced with a bidirectional one. These days, the TNPCDL installs bidirectional meters in all new houses by default.
- A participant enquired about the maintenance and cleaning of rooftop panels.
Explanation : Proper cleaning is very important for the efficiency of the system. And for cities like Chennai, cleaning the system once a week was suggested.
Participants attending the Rooftop Solar Awareness workshop.
Next Steps & Conclusion
The workshop was highly informative and engaging, offering valuable insights to prospective consumers. Some of the participants expressed interest in installing rooftop solar systems Ms. Aleena, Consultant, CAG concluded the session, and participants expressed their appreciation for the initiative.
Ms. Aleena extended thanks to the participants. The participants were asked to contact CAG in case of any doubts or queries. For further details, CAG has prepared an SOP for rooftop solar installations. You can access the English version here and the Tamil version here.