A new program to install rooftop solar systems on 10 million households across India has been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana initiative.

The program aims to reduce the electricity expenditure of poor and middle-class households while enabling India’s self-reliance in the field of energy, the Prime Minister said in a post on the microblogging site X.

Later, at a meeting, Modi said a national campaign would be launched to mobilize residential segment consumers to adopt rooftop solar in large numbers.

In the first nine months of 2023, India installed a cumulative rooftop solar capacity of 1.3 GW, which was a 12% year-over-year increase. Last year, in the third quarter alone, the country added 431 MW of rooftop capacity, which was 34.7% higher than the previous year. The installations also saw a quarter-over-quarter increase of 11.4% from 388 MW, according to Mercom India Research’s newly released Q3 2023 Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report.

India’s cumulative rooftop solar capacity stood at 10.1 GW at the end of the third quarter of 2023.

Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) simplified the implementation and application process to accelerate the deployment of grid-connected rooftop solar.  At the technical feasibility stage, consumers will only be required to furnish any electricity bill from the last six months to the distribution companies.

The MNRE also increased the benchmark Central Financial Assistance for rooftop solar systems under Phase II of the Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Program.

Public infrastructure company REC Limited has been designated as the overall implementing agency for the program, which aims to achieve 40 GW of rooftop solar capacity by March 2026.

Phase II of the program has a financial outlay of ₹118.14 billion (~$1.42 billion) for both the residential segment and distribution companies.

Recognizing the benefits of rooftop solar systems, many housing complexes across India are installing rooftop solar panels.