Thu Jul 03 15:21:09 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a news article written from it.

**Summary:**

Solar traders and prosumer organizations in Kerala, India, are protesting the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (KSERC) draft regulations on renewable energy, claiming they are impractical and damaging to the sector. The protest, organized by Ministry Approved Solar Traders (MASTERS) and supported by other groups, included a “Solar Bandh” where RE businesses were closed. The protesters object to the online-only hearings on the draft policy and demand physical hearings in all Assembly constituencies, the support of the national-level solar policy for schemes, and the retention of existing Net Metering System (NMS) conditions. They fear the draft policy will drastically reduce rooftop solar adoption and negatively impact the livelihoods of many in the renewable energy sector. A delegation met with the KSERC chairperson, who defended the online hearings as promoting wider public participation.

**News Article:**

**Kerala Solar Industry Shuts Down in Protest of Proposed Energy Regulations**

**Thiruvananthapuram, India – July 3, 2025** – The renewable energy sector in Kerala ground to a halt today as traders and solar prosumers staged a widespread protest against the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (KSERC) proposed regulations on renewable energy. Organizations including Ministry Approved Solar Traders (MASTERS), the Kerala Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs and Promoters Association, and the Renewable Energy Companies Consortium, claim the draft regulations are “impractical and damaging” to the burgeoning industry.

The protest, which included a “Solar Bandh” shutting down businesses involved in the manufacture, sale, installation, and service of renewable energy components, took place in front of the KSERC office in Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram.

At the heart of the dispute are the Draft KSERC (Renewable Energy and Related Matters), 2025, scheduled for hearings from July 8-11. Protesters are particularly incensed by the KSERC’s decision to hold the hearings online, arguing it denies the public a fair opportunity to participate. They are demanding that the commission conduct physical hearings in each of Kerala’s Assembly constituencies.

“If this draft policy is implemented as it stands, it will be a disaster,” stated a spokesperson for MASTERS. “The number of people choosing rooftop solar will plummet, and the livelihoods of lakhs of people in our industry will be destroyed.”

Specifically, the protesters are calling for the KSERC to support the national-level solar policy for schemes such as PM Surya Ghar, and to maintain the existing conditions for the Net Metering System (NMS), which allows solar panel owners to receive credit for excess energy they send back to the grid.

A delegation of protesters met with KSERC chairperson T.K. Jose to express their concerns. The commission, however, defended its decision to hold online hearings, stating that it would ensure broader public participation with the plan to involve up to 500 people in each of the four days’ hearings. Registration for the hearings remains open until 5 p.m. on Friday.

The future of Kerala’s renewable energy sector hangs in the balance as the KSERC prepares to move forward with its hearings next week. The solar industry has indicated that they will continue their fight against the proposed regulations.

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