Rooftop Solar PV Socket Parity for Commercial Buildings in India

Indian government has set a target of reducing emissions intensity by 33%-35% by 2030 of 2005 level and increasing the portfolio of non-fossil-based energy sources above 40% in the electricity mix by 2030. For this one of the steps initiated is the installation of 40 GW rooftop solar PV by 2022. The grid electricity tariff is increasing for consumers and in the last decade, it has escalated by five percent annually. From the consumer's standpoint, rooftop solar PV is viable when electricity is produced at a lower cost than grid electricity price, which is termed “Grid parity”. For examining the economic viability of 10 kWp and 50 kWp solar PV roof-mounted systems for buildings in India, 30 major cities of India were considered for the RETscreen simulation. The study found that 10 kWp and 50 kWp grid-connected rooftop solar PV is a viable alternative for the energy supplied by the grid for commercial buildings. The amount invested for the installation of 10 kWp and 50 kWp rooftops solar PV plants for commercial buildings in Indian cities can be recovered within 3 to 7 years. The study concluded that the 10 kWp and 50 kWp rooftops solar PV for commercial buildings have a widespread socket parity in Indian states.