Other ways to buy green power in India

Green Energy Open Access Rules, 2022

The Ministry of Power notified the Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2022 on 6 June 2022 (PIB, 7 June 2022). Key features:

• The open access limit for green energy was cut from 1 MW to 100 kW, so smaller consumers can buy renewable power directly. Captive consumers have no minimum load.
• Applications are made on a national portal, launched on 11 November 2022 (PIB, 11 November 2022), and must be decided within 15 days, or are deemed approved if technical requirements are met.
• Rules give certainty on open access charges, cap increases in cross-subsidy surcharge and remove the additional surcharge for green open access.
• Banking of surplus green energy with the discom is mandated.
• Consumers are to receive green certificates for the green power they consume.

Green Tariff

The same rules let any consumer ask their discom for green power, and require discoms to supply it. The green tariff is set by the State Commission and is made up of the average pooled cost of renewable power, any cross-subsidy charges and a service charge for the discom (PIB, 7 June 2022). Several states have since published green tariffs; check your State Electricity Regulatory Commission's tariff order.