India’s rooftop solar market is on fire

The solar revolution on India’s rooftops is gaining momentum.

The country added more rooftop solar power capacity in the last financial year than in the previous four years combined, making it the fastest-growing segment in the country’s clean energy space. During the financial year 2017, some 715 megawatts (MW) of systems were added, up from 227 MW in the previous year, taking the country’s total installed capacity to 1.3 gigawatts (GW, 1 GW = 1,000 MW) according to a report (pdf) by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). By 2022, the report estimates that the country will have around 9.5 GW of rooftop solar capacity—but that is still substantially short of the Narendra Modi government’s target of 40 GW.

This has happened largely because rooftop solar power is now cheaper than commercial and industrial power in all major Indian states, according to BNEF. Besides, costs have halved over the last five years. Overall, because of increased competition and low solar panel prices, setting up rooftop systems has become cheaper than the global average by between 39% and 50% in India. Read more…

India’s rooftop solar market is on fire

Low-income families join solar revolution with help of California NGO

If you were to make a list of the poorest areas in Los Angeles, somewhere on that list would be Bertha Dortch’s neighbourhood in Inglewood. The 68-year-old is on a fixed income, but she’s chosen to take in her great-granddaughter and two foster children. On hot days, she faces difficult choices — does she keep the house cool, or buy groceries?

“Our electric bill was going sky high and I really couldn’t turn the air conditioning on,” Dortch says.

Now, her monthly energy bill is about to drop by more than a quarter. She’s getting solar panels installed on her bungalow, for free, under a state-funded program paid for by California’s cap-and-trade revenues.

• California gives solar panels to low-income homeowners
• Growth of residential solar power slowed by ‘zero incentive’ for renters

A pair of volunteers hauls a solar panel up to another group waiting on the roof. They belong to an NGO called Grid Alternatives, which recruits volunteers to help implement California’s $162-million Single-family Affordable Solar Homes incentive program.

Why should solar only benefit the wealthy?

That means lower electricity costs for participating households, which must be in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Before he became a Grid Alternatives solar installation supervisor, Nicolas Gomez worked for the country’s largest solar installer. He says he spent most of his time putting up panels in wealthy communities like Palm Springs. Read more…

Low-income families join solar revolution with help of California NGO

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