ULOG: 01 "The Government Asked to give loans to residents for installing rooftop solar panels"

Img source : ziboosolar.com

The National Energy Council (DEN) proposed that the government provide financial assistance to people who want to install solar rooftop panels such as the Government of India. Thus, the acceleration of the development of rooftop solar electricity can be realized.

"In India, if we have a house, we don't issue a rupee to build solar cells on the roof. So, banks that provide loans with low interest on government instructions," said DEN member Rinaldy Dalimi at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Building, Tuesday (4/9).

Installation of solar panels requires at least USD 1,028 in capital for a 1 kilo peak capacity (kWp). With financial assistance, solar cell users can pay off loans from electricity sale and purchase transactions with electricity companies every month. Usually, the use of solar cell panels reaches 25 years.

"Later, for six to seven years, electricity payments made every month are a return on capital. After seven years to 25 years belong to the homeowner," said.

Rinaldy revealed that DEN had discussed the option and proposed to the government. Reflecting from India, the price of electricity from solar panels is only 3.5 cents per kWH, or cheaper than the electricity tariff of an electricity company which is 9 cents per kWh.

"With that (financing assistance), people in India are lining up to install solar panels," he said.

Based on the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 22 of 2017 concerning the General Plan of National Energy (RUEN), the government has required the use of a minimum of 25 percent solar cells from the roof area of luxury buildings, housing complexes, and apartments, and 30 percent from the roof of government buildings. However, up to now, this provision has not been able to run optimally.

DEN expects this solar cell industry to develop rapidly in the country to support the New Renewable Energy (EBT) mix target of 23 percent by 2025.

For information, until now, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is still drafting a draft Ministerial Regulation (Permen) of ESDM on the Regulation of the Use of Roofing PLTS Systems. It is hoped that the regulation can be immediately issued to accelerate the fulfillment of the commitment of a new renewable energy mix (EBT).

In the regulation, the government allows all customers of the State Electric Company outside industrial consumers to install rooftop solar panels and conduct electricity sale and purchase transactions with the State Electricity Company.