GREEN ENERGY OPEN ACCESS
1.Context
Ministry of Power has notified Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022 to further accelerate our ambitious renewable energy programmes, to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and green energy for all.
2. Key Takeaways
The salient features and benefits to common consumers from ‘Green Energy Open Access’ are as follows:
- These rules are notified for promoting the generation, purchase and consumption of green energy including the energy from Waste-to-Energy plants.
- Green Open Access is allowed to any consumer and the limit of Open Access Transaction has been reduced from 1 MW to 100 kW for green energy, enabling small consumers to purchase renewable power through open access.
- Consumers are entitled to demand supply of Green Power from Discoms. The Discoms would be obligated to procure and supply green power to eligible consumers.
- Time-bound processing by bringing uniformity and transparency in the application and approval of open access through a national portal has been mandated.
- Approval for Green Open Access is to be granted in 15 days or else it will be deemed to have been granted.
- Commercial and Industrial consumers are allowed to purchase green power on a voluntary basis.
- There shall be a uniform Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), on all obligated entities in the area of a distribution licensee. Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia has also been included to fulfil its RPO.
- Consumers will be given Green Certificates if they consume green power.
3. Way Forward
As per the Electricity Act 2003, the tariff is determined by the Appropriate Commission. Accordingly, the tariff for the green energy shall be determined by Appropriate Commission and shall comprise of the average pooled power purchase cost of the renewable energy, cross-subsidy charges, if any, and service charges covering the prudent cost of the distribution licensee for providing green energy to the consumers
Ministry of Power vide notification dated 08th July, 2022 notified Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) as Central Nodal Agency to set up and operate a single window green energy open access system for renewable energy under these Rules. National Portal will serve the consumers from all over the country
Source: pib
