KERC issues draft regulations mandating the installation of batteries for DSPV power plants with a capacity above 10 kW

The proposed regulations will eventually replace the existing Rooftop Solar System Regulations of 2016. | Photo credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has issued the proposed Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Grid Interactive Distributed Solar Photovoltaic (DSPV) Plants) Regulations, 2026, which mandates the installation of batteries for DSPV plants above 10 kW and allows installation of solar panels on building facades and group metering.

The proposed regulations will eventually replace the existing Rooftop Solar System Regulation of 2016. Consumers installing DSPV systems with a capacity above 10 kW under specified metering measures will be required to install hybrid inverters and battery energy storage systems with a minimum storage capacity equal to 20% of the generating potential of the plant, as stated in the draft regulation.

“When the batteries are installed, they store excess energy. Usually fewer people stay at home in the afternoon, so power consumption is low. Once they return home in the evening, they can use battery power instead of drawing from the grid. This will help increase grid reliability,” said P. Ravikumar, Chairman, KERC.

“In addition, we have enabled people to formally use group net metering and virtual net metering. This will allow more consumers to share the benefits of a common solar installation. This is expected to facilitate the wider adoption of solar energy, especially in apartment complexes, group housing societies and institutional campuses,” he added.

The regulations also allow solar systems to be installed on building facades and elevated structures on consumer premises, providing more flexibility for solar deployment in urban areas, the sources said.

Published – 05 June 2026 21:45 IST