A report by TeamLease RegTech has revealed that a standalone solar energy plant in Maharashtra, with a corporate office in Haryana, must comply with 799 unique legal obligations, resulting in 2,735 annual compliance tasks.

Titled Decoding Compliance Management for Renewable Energy Sector, the report states that 83 of these obligations carry imprisonment clauses, mostly under labour laws. The compliance burden spans seven legal categories and involves 31 Acts, with requirements from central, state, and municipal levels. Key challenges include overlapping jurisdictions, fragmented policy execution, and manual compliance systems. Regulatory bodies involved include CERC, SERCs, and BEE, with obligations covering safety, welfare, taxation, and environmental standards. The report suggests a centralised, automated compliance approach to reduce risks and improve efficiency. The solar unit, operating on zero liquid discharge, handles hazardous and electronic waste, and employs over 20 contract labourers. The findings underscore the complexity of regulatory compliance in India’s renewable energy sector.