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Rooftop solar PV systems are often seen as a straightforward solution. Install a system at your home, and you get ZERO electricity bills. This is the popular tag line given how marketing is done.  Often people misunderstand that rooftop solar panels are an alternate power backup.

Adoption of renewable energy in the country has grown rapidly in the last few years. India now has 50 % of its installed capacity from non-conventional resources, one of the targets set under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the Paris Agreement.

Electricity is not just a commodity—it is a basic necessity that empowers communities, uplifts lives and fuels development. Electricity has increasingly been recognized as an essential service, and access to it is often linked to the constitutional Right to Life under Article 21 of the Indian constitution. Reliable and affordable power supply directly impacts education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities, and overall quality of life. 

The future of electricity governance will be shaped by three distinct factors - increased pace of technological innovation, policy adaptation to innovation, and regulatory reforms. Rooftop solar, smart meters, time-of-day tariffs, energy storage, and electric vehicles are transforming the electricity sphere.

Part 1 of  the article provides a summary of rooftop solar (RTS) installations under the PM Surya Ghar Scheme across India, based on data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). As of January 2025, RTS installations nationwide reached a total capacity of 16 GW. However, the rate of adoption under the scheme differs across regions varies.

The United Nations has framed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as part of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. It includes a dedicated goal on Affordable and Clean Energy under the SDG 7 aiming to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The Energy-Environment Nexus

Introduction 

India, one of the world’s most populous nations and a developing country, is experiencing rapid urbanization and industrialisation. This growth has led to a significant increase in individual electricity consumption, resulting in a yearly rise in the country's overall electricity demand. India is the 3rd largest power market after China and the USA. 

This is a two part article. Part 1 deals with an overview of residential rooftop solar installation (January 2025) across the country, and Part 2 will analyse the uptake of rooftop solars.

I. Introduction

The number of electricity consumers in India during the period 2015-16 was 239151562 (0.239 billion), which increased to 333384002 (0.333 billion) in 2022-23.