India: Scheme on “Accelerated development and deployment of solar water heating systems in domestic, industrial and commercial sectors” 

The main objective of the scheme is to promote the widespread use of solar water heaters through a combination of financial and promotional incentives, and other support measures, with a goal of adding another one million sq. m. of solar collector area through solar water heating systems in the next two years. The targets will be achieved by providing subsidies to the users of solar water heaters. Banks have been authorised to finance solar water heaters without any upper limit to the capacity of the system. The subsidised rate of interest is 5% to domestic end users. The scheme also provides support for organizing seminars, workshops, exhibitions, training programmes, publicity and awareness campaigns, technology upgrade studies, surveys, etc. Support will also be provided to Municipalities/ Municipal Corporations that adopt and notify the modifications to their building bye-laws for making the installation of solar-assisted water heating systems mandatory in certain categories of buildings. For the year 2007 the amendment of the scheme provides for capital subsidies for installation of Solar Water Heating systems to registered institutions and commercial establishments that do not avail soft loans.

Date Implemented: 2005

Status: In Force; Voluntary

Targets: A target of installation of 300,000 sq.m. of collector area under the scheme has been kept for 2005-06, as per the following indicative break-up: Domestic Sector : 200,000 sq.m.; Institutional Sector : 50,000 sq.m.; Industrial/Commercial Sector : 50,000 sq.m

References: http://mnes.nic.in/