Centre assures industry of all help in adoption of Green Energy Open Access Rules
Union Power & NRE Minister RK Singh has urged industry leaders to set green goals and use the provisions of the Green Energy Open Access Rules to obtain green power at reasonable rates while also contributing to a greener and more sustainable environment.
In New Delhi on Saturday, the minister presided over a meeting with industry and other stakeholders on Green Energy Open Access Rules.
“Green Energy Open Access Rules, 2022 are a major step towards India going green and cutting emissions by 45 percent in line with India’s updated NDC target for 2030. It will also help bring down power costs significantly. I want you all to take advantage of the new rules and work with a vision to leave behind a greener planet for future generations,” the Union Power & NRE minister added.
Over 500 people participated virtually in the hybrid meeting, and about 50 people attended in person. The participants discussed various issues they were having with Green Open Access Rules.
On June 6, last year, the government notified the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022, in order to further accelerate India’s ambitious renewable energy programs, with the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and green energy for all.
Singh also asked industry stakeholders to notify the government of any instances in which the Green Energy Open Access Rules are not being followed in letter and spirit, so that the government can raise the issue with the relevant agencies and, if necessary, take punitive action. The industry was assured of all possible assistance, including resolution of regulatory, policy, evacuation infrastructure, connectivity, GNA, and other issues that may be required for industry adoption of green energy open access rules.
Highlights of Green Energy Open Access Rules
The following are the key features and benefits of ‘Green Energy Open Access’ for ordinary consumers:
- These rules are published to encourage the generation, purchase, and consumption of green energy, including energy generated by waste-to-energy plants.
- Green Open Access is available to any consumer, and the Open Access Transaction Limit has been reduced from 1 MW to 100 kW for green energy, allowing small consumers to purchase renewable energy through open access.
- Consumers have the right to demand Green Power supply from Discoms. Discoms would be required to procure and supply green power to qualified customers.
- The overall approval process for granting open access has been streamlined as a result of these Rules. Time-bound processing has been mandated, as has the approval of open access through a national portal by bringing uniformity and transparency to the application.
- Green Open Access approval must be granted within 15 days or it will be deemed granted.
- Green power can be purchased voluntarily by commercial and industrial customers.
- Provide certainty on open access charges to be levied on Green Energy Open Access Consumers, which include transmission charges, wheeling charges, cross-subsidy surcharges, standby charges where applicable, banking charges, and other fees and charges such as Load Despatch Centre fees and scheduling charges, deviation settlement charges as per the relevant regulations of the National Grid.
- The cap on increasing cross-subsidy surcharges, as well as the elimination of additional surcharges, encourage consumers to go green.
- A uniform Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) shall be imposed on all obligated entities in the distribution licensees’ area. Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia has also been included to meet the RPO.
- Consumers will be given Green Certificates and will be facilitated if they use green power.
The tariff is set by the appropriate commission, according to the Electricity Act of 2003. As a result, the tariff for green energy shall be determined by the appropriate commission and shall consist of the average pooled power purchase cost of 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.
The Ministry of Power has already designated Grid Controller of India Limited as the central nodal agency in charge of the Green Open Access Registry (GOAR) portal (https://greenopenaccess.in), which serves as a one-stop shop for registering and applying for Green Energy Open Access. The web-based GOAR portal, which serves as a central registry, makes all information related to approvals, rejections, revisions, and curtailment available to the respective participants.
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