Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Development Authority has made it mandatory for developers and plot owners to earmark space for rooftop solar panel installation in building maps submitted for approval. Officials said non-compliant maps would be rejected outright.Under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, applicants must also deposit a refundable fee at the time of map approval, which is to be refunded after installation is verified on inspection.The fee is tiered as per plot size. Builders must pay Rs 20,000 for plots between 200 and 500 square metres (sqm), Rs 50,000 for 500 to 1,000 sqm plots, Rs 1 lakh for 1,000 to 5,000 sqm, and Rs 2 lakh for plots exceeding 5,000 sqm.The move is part of a broader push to position Ghaziabad as a solar city.Among the 18 urban centres identified under the national solar cities initiative, the city has a target of meeting 10% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2027, according to Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency.A 2024 assessment by UPNREDA estimates Ghaziabad has the potential to generate 2,858 MW of solar power. Residential buildings account for the largest share at 2,014 MW, followed by industrial sites at 616 MW, educational institutions at 73 MW, commercial buildings at 107 MW, govt offices at 35 MW and healthcare institutions at 14 MW.Currently, the peak power demand of the city ranges between 1400 MW to 1600 MW.Solar energy currently costs roughly 30% less than conventional sources. Both state and central govts are offering subsidies and technical support to encourage adoption, particularly for residential consumers facing the burden of upfront installation costs.Owners who generate surplus power can feed it back to the grid through net metering, with the excess units deducted from their electricity bill at the time of billing, providing both savings and a potential additional income stream from sales to the power distribution company.
