Rooftop Solar PV Awareness Workshop - Mangayarkarasi Magalir Manram
Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), in collaboration with Mangayrkarasi Magalir Manram organised a rooftop solar PV awareness workshop on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at Mangayarkarasi Magalir Manram Hall, Adyar. The event took place from 04:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and was attended by 20 residents from Adyar.
Workshop Overview
Consultants from CAG, Kaarmuhil and Aleena — along with researcher Kirubakaran attended the workshop.This was a recap meeting as the CAG team had already conducted a session there in April 2025, with this follow-up organized to further strengthen participants’ understanding. The session began with a welcome address from Mrs. Usha, a member of the Women’s Association, who introduced the CAG team to the other members.
Ms. Usha from Mangayrkarasi Magalir Manram introduced the CAG Team to the members.
Mr. Kaarmuhil, Consultant, CAG, introduced the organisation’s work and explained the purpose of the workshop. Mr.Kirubakaran, Researcher, CAG, provided a detailed presentation on rooftop solar PV systems.
The session focused on several important aspects, including the types of PV systems, the advantages of adopting solar power, space and capacity requirements, details of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana subsidy scheme, and key guidelines for safe installation.
In addition, the CAG team provided deeper insights into both the benefits and the practical process of transitioning to rooftop solar systems. To support participants, IEC materials were distributed, covering system basics, installation steps, investment requirements, and available incentives. These resources were well received and considered very useful.
The workshop brought together women who are actively concerned about environmental issues. To capture their perspectives, some participants introduced themselves by describing their communities, housing types (such as villas, apartments, or individual houses), and their main concerns about adopting solar energy. Most of them live in independent houses and showed keen interest in rooftop solar as a practical way to lower their electricity expenses.
Mr. Kirubakaran, Researcher at CAG, delivered a detailed presentation on rooftop solar PV systems
Participant Queries and Discussion
During the interactive Q&A session, participants raised several insightful questions related to rooftop solar systems. The CAG team responded with detailed explanations, addressing both technical and practical aspects.
Some questions asked by the participants during the meeting:
- Mrs. M sought clarification on the availability of subsidies for commercial rooftop solar systems. The CAG team explained that the PM Surya Ghar subsidy applies only to domestic households and is not available for commercial service connections. They further clarified that commercial consumers are also ineligible for the net-metering billing scheme. Instead, their solar exports are settled under the net feed-in arrangement, where exported electricity is credited at a fixed rate set by the regulator. Because this feed-in rate is typically lower than the retail consumer tariff, it is more economical to size the system so that most of the generated solar power is used on-site during the day, leaving minimal surplus for export.
- Mrs. A inquired about installing solar panels on the Mangayarkarasi Magalir Mandram association building. After assessing the site, the CAG team explained that the building’s service connection falls under the commercial tariff category, making it ineligible for both government subsidies and the net-metering scheme.They further observed that the building’s electricity use occurs primarily at night, with negligible consumption during the day since it is used only for evening meetings and events. Because of this pattern, a conventional on-grid system would not be economical. The team therefore recommended installing a hybrid solar system with battery storage, enabling the energy generated during the day to be stored and used at night, which would provide long-term cost benefits.
- Will my on-grid system work during a power cut?
An on-grid solar system does not function during a grid outage. Even if sunlight is available, the system automatically shuts down as a safety measure to protect line workers. If your premises has a backup power source like a battery or a diesel generator, we use it to operate the appliances. However, in areas with frequent power cuts, the best option is a hybrid solar PV system, which can generate and supply electricity even when the grid is down.
These questions reflected the participants’ genuine interest in sustainable energy solutions and their practical application in real-life scenarios with the discussion contributed to an even more engaging and informative workshop experience.
Next Steps & Conclusion
Mr. Kaarmuhil, Consultant, CAG, concluded the session by summarising the key points discussed and encouraging participants to explore rooftop solar options further.
Participants expressed their appreciation for the informative and engaging session. They were encouraged to reach out to CAG for any further queries or support related to rooftop solar systems. For further details, CAG has prepared an SOP for rooftop solar installations. You can access the English version here and the Tamil version here.