Insurance could protect India's solar panels from 'monkey menace'

Solar plan: India aims to have 40,000 megawatts of grid-connected roof-top solar power by 2022.

JAIPUR: When businessman Narendra Sethi first installed solar panels on the flat roof of his Jaipur home last October, they drew the attention of more than admiring neighbours.

Monkeys – regular visitors to homes and offices in India – climbed to the roof, damaged the panels and carried off the connector cables. Now Sethi's second generation of panels sit on supports raised 8 ft (2.4m) high, with their cables encased in shields and covered by plastic sun shade material.