India’s energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with clean energy emerging as the backbone of future growth. According to a recent report by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), the country must aim for 600 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 to meet its rising electricity demands. This ambitious target underscores the need for rapid expansion in renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power. However, while large-scale projects continue to dominate the conversation, the potential of distributed solar energy, particularly rooftop solar, remains vastly under-utilised.
Globally, rooftop solar has played a crucial role in energy transitions. Countries like China, Germany, and the USA have successfully integrated decentralised solar generation, with rooftop installations accounting for 30% to 50% of total solar capacity in some cases. In contrast, India’s rooftop solar adoption lags significantly. As of January 2025, only 16.28 GW of India’s 100.33 GW total solar capacity comes from rooftop installations. Given India’s vast commercial, industrial, and residential rooftops, there is immense potential to bridge this gap.
The primary challenge hindering the adoption of rooftop solar is the financial and technical barriers faced by businesses and homeowners. Upfront capital investment, concerns over system performance, and lack of financing options have slowed growth. To address these issues, innovative financing models and supportive government policies are essential. Incentives such as easier access to credit, tax benefits, and streamlined approval processes can encourage more widespread adoption. Additionally, net metering policies and time-of-use tariffs can make rooftop solar a more attractive option for consumers, allowing them to sell excess energy back to the grid and recover costs faster.
Beyond economic benefits, distributed solar generation is critical for energy security and grid stability. Unlike large-scale solar farms that require vast land resources and significant infrastructure investments, rooftop solar reduces transmission losses, eases grid congestion, and ensures localised energy generation. Moreover, with growing concerns over climate change and air pollution, expanding rooftop solar will be key to reducing dependency on fossil fuels and meeting India’s net-zero commitments.
For India to achieve its 600 GW clean energy goal, rooftop solar must become a national priority. By learning from global success stories, addressing financial barriers, and implementing robust policies, India can unlock the full potential of decentralised solar energy. The next five years will be crucial in shaping the country’s energy future—scaling rooftop solar today will ensure a more resilient, sustainable, and energy-secure tomorrow.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.