DERC announces draft guidelines for group and virtual net metering

Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) announced the draft guidelines under the draft guidelines under DERC (Net Metering for Renewable Energy) Regulations, 2014 for implementation of Group Net Metering and Virtual Net Metering Framework under Delhi Solar Policy 2016. The comments & suggestions on guidelines are accepted till 1st January 2019.
The key points of the guidelines are as below:

• Group net metering: Group Net Metering is an arrangement where the surplus energy exported to the grid from a solar plant at the location of the solar plant can be adjusted in any other (one or more) electricity service connection(s) of the consumer within the NCT of Delhi, provided these connections are in the same DISCOM territory.
• Virtual net metering: Virtual Net Metering is an arrangement to give access to the Solar Net Metering facility for consumers who do not have a suitable roof for installing a solar system (e.g. residential consumers who live in apartments, consumers with shaded rooftops) there will be the facility of Virtual Net Metering.

• In the initial phase, only the government entities will be applicable for utilizing Group and Virtual net metering.
• The provisions for providing land space shall be governed as per provisions Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Supply Code and Performance Standards) Regulations, 2017 as amended & Orders issued under these Regulations from time to time.

Framework for group net metering:

• Distribution Licensees shall facilitate Group Net metering, whereby surplus energy exported to the grid from a solar plant at the location of the solar plant can be adjusted in any other (one or more) electricity service connection(s) of the consumer within the same distribution licensee area.
• Smart meters shall be installed at Generation point(s) and the cost shall be borne
  by the distribution licensee
• The Distribution Licensee shall show, separately, the energy units exported, the energy units imported, the net energy units billed and/or the energy units carried forward, if any, to the consumer in their bill for the respective billing period.

Framework for Virtual net metering:

• Consumer(s) can collectively own a solar system under the arrangement of virtual net metering.
• The adjustment of energy generated from solar plant shall be credited in the electricity bill of each participating consumer on the basis of the share of beneficial ownership in the solar plant at the time of application for connectivity under Virtual Net Metering framework.
• Under Virtual Net Metering, there is no restriction on intra DISCOM or inter DISCOM transfer of surplus energy as per Delhi Solar policy, 2016. Therefore, in case of inter DISCOM transfer of power due to the physical location of either of Generation plant or Consumer in different DISCOM area, normative distribution losses on account of the transfer of power shall be borne by the consumer.