The delay could be primarily at two end-one at the solar vendor end and other at the discom-level end. As per consumers’ feedback, sometimes solar vendors delay the installation of the project due to lack of manpower or availability of raw materials while several times discoms delay the process in inspection of the rooftop system post installation, installation of net-meters, testing of meters and final commissioning of the project. However, several state electricity regulators are now issuing directives to streamline the process.

No. There is no free solar scheme run by the government. These are rumours created by fake website. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is actually running a subsidized rooftop solar scheme for residential consumers where the consumers can get upto Rs 78,000 subsidies for installting rooftop solar. However, they have to bear the upfront cost on their own at the time of installation. There are other subsidized solar schemes too like PM-KUSUM where farmers get solar pumps with subsidy support.

In areas where there are regular power cuts and you have a grid-connected solar rooftop, you will not be able to use solar once power is not supplied by the grid in a conventional setup. So the panels will be producing power but won’t be able to use it. In such cases, you need to use hybrid inverters with battery storage. In this system, one can use solar power even duiring blackouts.