Nodal Agency

Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited.

Targets

Particulars

Capacity (MW)

Utility/Grid scale solar parks

24,000

Distributed generation

4,000

Solar rooftop

1,000

Solar pumps

1,000

Capacity targets are to be achieved by 2024-25.

Rooftop PV Solar Power

• Development of 33 district headquarters as ‘Green Energy Cities’ in the next 5 years by installing 300 MW solar rooftop systems.
• Under net metering arrangement, capacity addition of up to 50% of the distribution transformer’s capacity in the area will be allowed.
• Projects on government buildings can be set up in RESCO mode.
• Subsidies or incentives will be provided as per the guidelines of MNRE/state government.
• Projects up to 1 MW capacity will be allowed under gross metering scheme as per the guidelines of the state government or Government of India.
• Suitable provisions will be made in urban building bylaws.

Decentralised Grid-Connected Solar Power Projects

• Promotion of projects with capacity between 0.5 MW and 3 MW in the premises and vicinity of 33 kV grid substations, for sale of power to DISCOMs.
• Tariff determination, as per tariff based competitive bidding or as per the guidelines of state government or Government of India.
• Promotion of solarisation of existing grid-connected agricultural pump sets.
• Participation of farmers in development of projects on their uncultivable land holdings is to be encouraged.

Off-grid Solar Applications

• Promotion of off-grid solar applications including hybrid systems.
• Promotion of sale of solar power by persons to consumers through one’s own distribution system or local solar grid.
• Promotion of standalone solar systems.
• Promotion of solar PV pumps for pressure irrigation.

Utility Grid Power Projects

• Promotion of grid-connected, utility-scale, ground-mounted solar projects for sale of power to DISCOMs at a tariff discovered through competitive bidding, captive use and third party sale.
• Third party sale will be promoted through projects set within the premises of consumers of Rajasthan (under RESCO mode), sale of electricity within/outside the state through open access or power exchange.
• Promotion of floating/reservoir-top/canal-top solar projects for sale of power to DISCOMs through competitive bidding or for captive use or third party sale.    

Solar Power Projects with Storage System

• Promotion of solar projects with storage system in the form of battery storage, pumped hydro storage or any other grid interactive storage system.
• State DISCOMs will purchase power from solar projects with storage systems up to a capacity of 5% of solar and non-solar RPO in addition to RPO target.
• Price of power generated from such plants will be determined through competitive bidding.
• Promotion of solar projects with storage system for captive use or third party sale of power.

Solar Parks

Developed by private players

Online application to RREC with a non-refundable registration charge @ Rs.10,000/MW+GST subject to maximum registration fee of Rs.1,000,000+GST for each solar park. 

Solar power park developers may acquire agricultural land in excess of ceiling limit.

Land conversion will not be required for development of solar power park on private agricultural land.

Allotment of government land to private solar park developers will be considered on recommendation of RREC.

Development through joint venture companies

Promotion of joint ventures between state and private entities with state equity up to 50%.

The cost of land allotted by the state government will be considered as a part of its equity contribution.

Private applicant will submit to the RREC a proposal to form a joint venture with the state government.

The state government will promote the development of ultra-mega renewable energy power parks in joint ventures with central public sector undertakings.

Incentives

• All incentives available to industrial units under the Rajasthan Investment Scheme.
• Water Resources department will allocate the water required to the solar projects after due process and any modifications in the existing canal system will be undertaken by the department at the cost of the power producers.
• Banking of energy at the drawal end within the state, shall be permitted on a yearly basis.
• Banking charges shall be recovered in kind @ 10% of the energy delivered at the point of drawal.
• Banking year shall be from April to March.
• Drawal of banked energy will not be allowed during peak hours.
• Unutilized banked energy at the end of the year, shall lapse.
• Electricity duty is exempted for captive consumers.
• Transmission and wheeling charges vary between 50%-0% of normal charges, depending on the type of captive power plant or third party sale within the state with a maximum capacity of 25 MW.
• The exemptions on transmission and wheeling charges will be applicable to projects set up after the commencement of the Policy, up to March 2023 or 500 MW capacity (all projects taken together) whichever is earlier.

Renewable Energy based Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

• RE based charging stations may be developed by state/central public sector undertakings, private operators or under PPP mode.
• Government land will be allotted at 50% of normal rate for first 500 projects installed within 5 years from the date of commencement of this Policy.
• Renewable energy plants may be set up by charging station service providers within their premises, for captive use, and they may also take renewable power through open access from plants located within the state.
• Support for research and development for use of RE by EV charging stations and the impact of EV charging infrastructure on the grid.

Registration of Solar Power Projects

• All project developers and power producers need to register online with the RREC.

Project Capacity

Rate

Less than or equal to 10 MW

Rs.50,000/MW + GST

10 MW < project capacity ≤ 50 MW

Rs.500,000/project + GST

50 MW < project capacity ≤100 MW

Rs.1,000,000/project + GST

Greater than 100 MW

Rs.3,000,000/project + GST

• Solar power projects registered under previous policies and three years before commencement of this Policy and without any application for in-principle approval shall be allowed to be re-validated within 6 months of the commencement date of this Policy by depositing Rs.5,000/MW + GST, failing which, the registration will be deemed cancelled.
• Projects registered under Solar Policy 2014 in the period of three years prior to the commencement of this policy shall be deemed as registered under the new policy with the same registration number allotted earlier. Such projects shall have to apply for in-principle approval within three years from the date of original registration or within one year from the date of commencement of this Policy, whichever is later, failing which, the registration shall be deemed cancelled.
• Projects registered under this policy shall have to apply for in-principle clearance within a period of two years from the date of registration, failing which, registration of such projects shall be deemed cancelled.
• No registration will be required for solar power projects connected to low tension grid under net/gross metering scheme.
• Transfer of registered capacity or part thereof to the ‘holding’, ‘subsidiary’, ‘fellow subsidiary’ or ‘ultimate holding’ company will be with the prior approval of RREC on payment of an amount equal to 50% of the registration charges.
• Transfer of registered capacity or part thereof from one registration to another will be with the prior approval of RREC on payment of an amount equal to 25% of the registration charges.

Allotment or Procurement of Land

Government land

• Allotment will be made as per provisions of Rajasthan Land Revenue (Allotment of land for Setting up of Power Plant based on Renewable Energy Sources) Rules, 2007, as amended from time to time.
• Land will be allotted against a cash security deposit of Rs.5 lakhs/MW by demand draft or RTGS in favor of RREC, Jaipur.
• The security deposit will be refunded to the developer in proportion to the commissioned project capacity on written request of the applicant, or in full if land is not allotted.
• Security deposit will be forfeited in case the allotted land is not used within the specified period as mentioned in the allotment rules.

Private land

• Developer will be allowed to set up solar power plant on private agricultural land without requiring land conversion.
• Developers will also be allowed to acquire/hold private land in excess of ceiling limits from title holders for setting up of solar power plant.
• Stamp duty on land used for solar power plant will be twice that for agricultural land in the same area.

Committees

In-principle clearance and final approval of solar projects will be granted by State Level Screening Committee/State Level Empowered Committee, as the case may be.

Security Deposit

• After in-principle approval of captive projects and projects for third party sale, the developer needs to submit Rs.10 lakh/MW in the form of bank guarantee, or Rs.5 lakh/MW in cash within one month without interest or within 3 months with interest @ 9% per annum from the date of issue of in-principle clearance, failing which, the approval will be deemed cancelled.
• After submission of project security within the time stipulated, the power producer shall apply for final approval within six months from the date of in-principle approval.
• In case of withdrawal of project within 6 months of depositing the security amount or deemed cancellation of project, 25% of security deposit will be forfeited and 75% will be refunded on written request. This will be applicable only for new projects registered under this Policy.
• The security deposit shall be refunded on written request of the developer/power producer in proportion to the capacity commissioned. The remaining amount shall be forfeited after the expiry of the scheduled commissioning period including extension.
• For utility-scale grid-connected solar projects, rooftop solar power projects and solar projects with storage system, security amount will be as per the bidding document and power purchase agreement.

Rajasthan Renewable Energy Development Fund

• Projects set up to sale power to parties other than DISCOMs of Rajasthan need to pay the following amounts to the RREDF:

Period

Rate of Contribution

Projects commissioned up to 31.03.2024

Rs.2 lakh/MW/Year

Projects commissioned from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2025

Rs.3 lakh/MW/Year

Projects commissioned from 01.04.2025 to 31.03.2026

Rs.4 lakh/MW/Year

Projects commissioned on or after 01.04.2026

Rs.5 lakh/MW/Year

• The contribution, as above, shall be levied on projects which are commissioned on or after the commencement of this Policy else the contribution towards RREDF shall be @ Rs.1 lakh/MW/Year for the entire life cycle of the project.
• No contribution will be required from projects commissioned after the commencement of this Policy for sale of power to state DISCOMs O
• But projects commissioned after the date of commencement of this policy would requirecontribution at the rate of Rs. 1 lakh/MW/Year will be required even for sale of power to state DISCOMs. 
• The amount should be deposited by 30 April of every year without interest, and by 30 June of every year with interest @ 9% per annum, failing which, the RVPN/DISCOM or any other central or state government entity can take suitable action against the power producer.

Time Frame for Completion of Solar Power Projects

• Time schedule for rooftop solar power projects, utility-scale solar power projects and solar projects with storage capacity will be determined by the provisions of bid guidelines and power purchase agreement.
• For projects developed for captive use and third party sale, time schedule for project completion will be as under:

Type of Projects

Time Schedule for Completion

SPV

Up to 20 MW capacity

Within 15 months from the date of final approval.

Over O0 MW and up to 50 MW capacity

Within 18 months from the date of final approval.

Over 50 MW capacity

Within 24 months from the date of final approval.

CSP

Up to 25 MW capacity

Within 24 months from the date of final approval.

Over 25 MW and up to 100 MW capacity

Within 36 months from the date of final approval.

Over 100 MW and up to 200 MW capacity

Within 42 months from the date of final approval.

Over 200 MW capacity

Within 48 months from the date of final approval.

• Extension in time line, on case to case basis, may be provided against the following applicable penalty along with GST:

Period of Delay

Penalty on Uncommission Capacity

Up to 1 month

Rs.25,000/MW

Up to 3 months

Rs.50,000/MW

Up to 6 months

Rs.100,000/MW

Up to 9 months

Rs.150,000/MW

Up to 15 months

Rs.200,000/MW

• In case of delays beyond 15 months, the SLEC, if satisfied regarding the commissioning of the project, may provide further extension by imposing an additional penalty @ Rs.2,000 per day per MW for each day beyond the period of 15 months.

Manufacturing of Solar Energy Equipment

• Extension of benefits provided to micro, small and medium enterprises will also be given to the eligible manufacturers.
• Land allotment at 50% concessional rate in industrial area or any other area.
• 100% exemption from stamp duty and electricity duty for 10 years.
• Investment subsidy on SGST.
• Employment subsidy as per Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme (RIPS).
• Interest subsidy as per RIPS.
• Other benefits of RIPS.
• Any other concessions, besides the above, as customized package under the RIPS.

Evacuation and Grid Interfacing

• Inter-state transmission system is being developed for evacuation to other states.
• RVPN would prepare action plan for development of power evacuation network in RE potential areas.
• Power evacuation will be made through transmission network maintained by RVPN and distribution network maintained by DISCOMs.
• Interfacing arrangement from point of generation to pooling sub-station, including the pooling sub-station, will be developed and maintained by the developer at its own cost.
• Location of receiving station shall be finalised by RVPN/concerned DISCOM, in consultation with RREC.
• Power producer/developer shall pay the grid-connectivity charges, as finalised by RERC from time to time, to RVPN/DISCOM, as the case may be.
• Augmentation of transmission and distribution system will be carried out by RVPN/DISCOM for evacuation of power from receiving sub-station.
• A bank guarantee to the tune of the cost of bay and dedicated distribution and transmission line shall be paid by the power producer/developer for grid-connectivity or construction of line by RVPN/DISCOM on request of the power producer/developer. The power producer/developer will get back the bank guarantee after commissioning of the project in time.
• The drawal of reactive power shall be charged by RVPN/DISCOMs as per the RERC Regulations, as amended from time to time.
• Solar power producers may build common pooling sub-stations to evacuate the generated solar power to RVPN/DISCOM substation through common transmission line with separate metering system at the common pooling sub-station, and main metering system at RVPN/DISCOM substation.
• Power evacuation facilities granted by DISCOMs/RVPN need to be utilised within three years from the date of approval, failing which, the approval may be cancelled and the same may be awarded to other developers/producers.

Forecasting and Scheduling

• All solar power projects shall forecast and schedule their generation as per applicable regulations, as amended from time to time.
• SLDC will ensure ‘MUST RUN’ status of RE plants in the state and will maintain the data of RE power curtailment in a transparent manner.
• A Committee under the chairmanship of the Chairman and Managing director of RVPN shall be constituted for monitoring of solar and wind generation, forecasting and scheduling and curtailment of wind and solar power plants. 

Solarisation of Standalone Mini Drinking Water Supply Systems in Rural Areas  

• RREC will fund solarisation of the Standalone Mini Drinking Water Supply Scheme in rural areas by energizing the pumps from solar energy.
• The project will be taken up on a pilot basis for 200 schemes, after considering the availability of ground water in the area.

Link

https://energy.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/energy-department/rrecl/en/home.html#

Reference

https://energy.rajasthan.gov.in/content/dam/raj/energy/rrecl/pdf/Home%20Page/Rajasthan%20Solar%20Energy%20Policy2019.pdf