Industry observers and experts have said the post-pandemic tightening of purse-strings by industries was driving a boom in rooftop and remote solar power systems.
However, experts added that MSMEs, which constitute the vast majority of industries in the state and the country, should be incentivized to use solar power more.
“Large companies can invest in a rooftop power plant or set up a plant remotely and feed that power into their grid. However, MSMEs often don’t have a lot of rooftop space, even though they are setting up solar power systems. Smaller companies can come together and set up plants remotely, but the authorities must also ease rules on open access,” said Prashant Girbane, director-general of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (MCCIA).
Last week, automaker Tata Motors announced a partnership with its sister concern Tata Power to set up a 3MW plant at its passenger vehicles factory in Chikhali. The partners in the project added it will generate 45 lakh kWh of power every year, reducing its carbon footprint by around 3,438 tonne per year.
“In the past two to three months, we have seen enquiries shoot up by more than three times, and around 40% of the enquiries are coming from companies in Maharashtra,” Mayur Misra, chief executive officer of Corrit, a Gurgaon-based firm for solar power projects, said.
