Things to know before switching to renewable power
A plain-language primer on the decisions and terminology you'll encounter, whether or not you use Wattmatch.
Rooftop vs. open access: two different models
Rooftop solar is installed on your own premises and directly offsets your consumption, simple, but limited by how much roof or land you actually have. Open access lets you buy power from a renewables plant located elsewhere (including a different state), delivered to you through the grid, unlocking much larger capacity than your rooftop could ever support, but bringing in transmission and wheeling charges, cross-subsidy surcharges, and more regulatory moving parts.
Know your eligibility threshold
India's Green Open Access Rules (2022) lowered the minimum load eligible for open access from 1 MW to 100 kW, opening the door to a much wider set of mid-sized C&I consumers who previously couldn't participate. Check your connected load and consumption pattern before assuming you don't qualify.
Contracts run long: plan accordingly
Most RE PPAs run 15–25 years, matched to the useful life of the asset. That's a real commitment: think through your facility's expected life, any planned relocation or expansion, and how a long tariff lock-in interacts with your own growth plans before signing.
Fixed tariff vs. escalating tariff
Some PPAs offer a flat tariff for the full term; others build in a small annual escalation. A flat tariff is easier to forecast; an escalating one may start lower but rise over time. Understand which structure you’re being offered, and model both against your expected DISCOM tariff trajectory.
Vet the generator, not just the price
The lowest bid isn't automatically the best deal if the generator lacks the financial strength or track record to deliver reliably over 15+ years. Look at technical capability, financial health, and delivery history, not tariff alone.
Understand wheeling, banking and losses
"Banking" provisions let you export surplus daytime solar and draw it back later; banking rules and any associated charges differ significantly by state. If you're buying power generated elsewhere, it travels through the grid to reach you, incurring wheeling charges and transmission losses along the way, both of which vary by state.
Factor in your compliance obligations
India's Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) requires large consumers to source a rising share of power from renewables, currently around 30%, climbing to 43.33% by FY 2029–30, with financial penalties for shortfalls. If you're a designated consumer, switching isn't just an economic choice; it's increasingly a compliance one.
Don't underestimate the admin burden, or the ways to avoid it
Negotiating a PPA, vetting a generator, and managing a 15-year relationship is real, ongoing work if you do it yourself, which is exactly the gap a marketplace like Wattmatch is built to close.
Don't want to manage this yourself?
See how Wattmatch handles the admin burden of a 15-year renewables relationship for you.
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