The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is moving to add clean power to one of the capital’s public spaces, inviting bids for a 2.2 MWp ground-mounted solar carport at Baansera Park, opposite the ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi. The plant will run on a net-metering connection and be delivered under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model.
What the project involves
The selected contractor will handle the full scope of work — design, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of the carport — and then operate and maintain it for 25 years. A solar carport places panels on raised structures over parking areas, so the same footprint provides both shaded parking and electricity generation. Because the system is net-metered, surplus power flows back to the grid and is credited against what the site draws.
Understanding the RESCO model
Under a RESCO arrangement, a developer finances, builds, owns and runs the solar plant, while the host — here, the DDA — pays only for the electricity generated or a usage fee, with no large upfront capital outlay. This model has become popular for public and institutional solar because it shifts the cost and technical risk of installation and upkeep onto a specialist operator, making it easier for civic bodies to adopt renewables without heavy capital budgets.
Key tender details
The tender followed a two-bid process, with separate technical and financial submissions. Bidders were required to deposit an Earnest Money Deposit of ₹17,19,520 via RTGS or NEFT, and to demonstrate relevant experience — for example, one comparable project of at least 1.8 MW, or two of 1.4 MW each, over the previous seven years, along with a minimum solvency of about ₹26 million. The project is to be completed within six months of the award.
Why it matters for Delhi’s solar push
Projects like this show how Indian cities are using under-utilised spaces — car parks, rooftops and public grounds — to expand solar capacity without acquiring new land. For homeowners and businesses watching Delhi’s clean-energy shift, it is a reminder that the same net-metering and financing ideas driving large public tenders also apply to residential rooftop solar, where a system can offset your electricity bill and feed extra units back to the grid.
Source: Mercom India