India: Mandatory use of solar heating system

The government intends to make mandatory the use of solar heating systems in all functional buildings under the first phase of the proposed National Solar Mission.

To be implemented between 2009 and 2012, the Mission proposes to make it compulsory for all hospitals, guest houses, hotels and nursing homes to install solar water heaters. This will be applicable to residential complexes too if a minimum plot area of 500 square metres is available.
It is estimated that 40-50 million sq. metres is currently available for installation of solar collectors for various low and medium temperature applications in domestic, industrial and commercial sectors. The target for solar heating application is 7 million sq. metres by 2012.

With mandated installation of solar rooftop or onsite solar photovoltaic (PV) applications in government and public sector undertaking buildings and establishments, a target of 100 MW installed capacity energy is achievable. It is estimated that based on a minimum 500 sq. metres of rooftop or vacant space (such as land kept vacant for environmental or security guidelines, reserved for future expansion or even parking areas) available, in about 2,000 to 3,000 such buildings and establishments, roughly 3 million sq. metres can be used for solar applications.

The Hindu