The local city government  in Tamil Nadu, India, may make it mandatory for major industries, high-rise apartment complexes, major institutions and hotels to meet two percent of their energy requirements from solar sources, the Times of India reports.

The mandate was proposed this week at a Control Board meeting in the city.

The proposal is designed to lessen the burden on the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and bridge the wide gap of 4,000 MW between current demand and supply. Unable to supply power, the TNEB imposes up to 12 hours of power cuts in many rural areas.

"Given the high-cost of running generators, industries will prefer solar energy," V. Sriram, an entrepreneur who has made considerable investments in the solar sector, told the Times.