The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is working on a solar power initiative that will support adoption of greener practices by operators, while rolling out services.
This will help reduce the use of diesel generators in tower operations and prevent flow of government subsidy on diesel for unintended activities.
Currently, a test project on adoption of solar power panels is being carried out in 600 towers. This will be completed by second half of the next year. Based on the inputs the Ministry obtains from it, the initiative will be rolled out nationally and a new funding scheme may be developed.
The new scheme is being spearheaded under the recently launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) that aims to increase solar power capacity in the country by 20,000 mw by 2022.
The MNRE has already started discussing the proposal with various stakeholders and may seek Cabinet approval for the scheme.
While the proposed government scheme will limit direct capital support to telecom companies to a basic minimum for laying solar power panels, it may offer soft loans to companies under refinancing schemes of Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).
