Rooftop Solar PV Awareness Workshop - Thiruvengada Nagar Residents Welfare Association
Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) and ASAR Social Impact Advisors, in collaboration with the Thiruvengada Nagar Residents Welfare Association , organized a Rooftop Solar PV Awareness Workshop on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Thiruvengada Nagar Residents Welfare Association Building, Ambattur. The event, held from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, was attended by 23 residents from Thiruvengada Nagar and surrounding communities.
Manikandan, CAG explaining rooftop solar PV systems to the participants.
Workshop Overview
The workshop was facilitated by CAG, who opened the session by emphasising the urgent need to transition to solar energy—highlighting both its environmental and financial benefits, along with government support available for consumers. Participants were provided with an informative booklet on rooftop solar PV systems.
Mr. S. Suresh, Treasurer of the Association, delivered the welcome address, outlining the welfare initiatives undertaken in the locality and their contribution to environmental conservation. He shared real-life examples of acquaintances who had benefited from solar installations and encouraged participants to consider rooftop solar for greater energy independence.
Participants introduced themselves and expressed their understanding of rooftop solar systems. Approximately 80% were from individual households, while the remaining were considering options for common service connections in apartment buildings.
Subramani introduced CAG's work and the purpose of the session, followed by Manikandan, who presented detailed insights on rooftop solar PV systems. Topics covered included system types and capacity needs, space requirements, investment costs, available subsidies based on tariff slabs, payback period calculations, and key guidelines for installation.
Participant Queries
Participants raised several practical questions, including:
- Eligibility of hybrid systems under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana subsidy in Tamil Nadu
- Subsidy applicability for homes with dual service connections
- Feasibility of using adjacent building rooftops for installation with energy consumption by a different household
- Possibility of carrying forward surplus energy exported to the grid
- Reasons why common service connections in apartments fall under the commercial tariff category
- How to identify reliable vendors locally
Participants going through the rooftop solar PV systems brochure prepared by CAG.
Next Steps and Conclusion
Participants appreciated the initiative and thanked the CAG team for spreading awareness. Many had specific questions related to their households and engaged in one-on-one discussions post-session. Some requested site visits for feasibility assessments, while others—currently constructing homes—sought clarity on the installation process.
Overall, the workshop was well-received, providing valuable insights at the right time for residents exploring solar energy solutions. For further details, CAG has prepared an SOP for rooftop solar installations. You can access the English version here and the Tamil version here.