Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), in collaboration with the residents of VGP Seethapathy Nagar Welfare Association organized a Rooftop Solar PV Awareness Workshop on Sunday,13 April, 2025, at a resident’s home. The event, held from 4:30PM to 6:30 PM, saw the participation of 12 residents from VGP Seethapathy Nagar, Velachery.
Workshop Overview
The session was addressed by researchers and consultants from CAG who highlighted insights on rooftop solar PV systems. Participants were provided with IEC materials that detailed topics such as system fundamentals, installation process, financial requirements, and available incentives, which they found highly useful.
During introductions, participants shared details about their neighborhoods, and housing types (whether villa, apartment, or individual residence). Almost all of the attendees lived in individual houses and were interested in implementing solar to lower their electricity costs.
Ms.Aleena, Consultant, CAG addressed the gathering by stating the purpose of the workshop. Mr.Bharath, Senior Researcher, CAG provided an in-depth explanation of rooftop solar PV systems, covering:
- System types and capacity requirements
- Space needed for installation
- Investment costs and available subsidies for different electricity tariffs
- Payback period calculations based on electricity consumption
- Key guidelines and checklists for installation
Mr.Bharath, Researcher CAG explaining about the rooftop solar PV systems to the participants.
Participant Queries
The workshop featured a Question & Answers (Q&A) session where the participants raised several significant questions. During the session, attendees had queries on safety issues, vendor availability, property-specific requirements, financial investments, and technical requirements. In response, the researchers provided comprehensive explanations addressing technical, economic, and safety aspects, leading to an engaging and informative discussion with the attendees.
Some of the questions asked by participants were as follows:
1.Mr. X asked if all three types of rooftop solar systems are eligible for government subsidies. CAG team explained that as of now only on grid solar PV installations would receive subsidies.
2.Mr. Y questioned why rooftop solar systems aren't still that popular. The CAG team responded that the main reason for rooftop solar not yet being popular stems mainly from a lack of awareness. We also shared data on how installed solar capacity in the State drastically increased after the initiation of PM Surya Ghar scheme.
3.Mr. Z enquired about the maintenance and cleaning of rooftop panels. The CAG team explained that proper cleaning is very important for the efficiency of the system. And for cities like Chennai, cleaning the system once a week was suggested.
4.Mr. A inquired about the bidirectional meter. The CAG team explained that a bidirectional meter is mandatory. If a house has a unidirectional meter, it must be replaced with a bidirectional one. These days, the TNPCDL installs bidirectional meters in all new houses by default.
5.Mr. B asked if the state government also provides subsidies like the central government.The CAG team explained that as of now, only the central government provides subsidies.
Next Steps & Conclusion
The workshop was a highly informative and interactive session where important insights were shared about rooftop solar. The participants were highly engaged and apart from the installation of the PV systems, discussions related to environmental benefits and E- waste management were also initiated.
Ms. Aleena, Consultant, CAG concluded the session, and participants expressed their appreciation for the initiative. Few participants further requested assistance for installing rooftop solar PV systems in their homes. The participants were asked to contact CAG in case of any doubts or queries. For further details, CAG has prepared an SOP for rooftop solar installations. You can access the English version here and the Tamil version here.