India installs 400,000 rooftop solar units under PM’s free electricity scheme

India has hit a milestone in its rooftop solar energy adoption, with the installation of over 400,000 solar units under the Prime Minister's Kisan Surya Ghar Yojana. 

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January and greenlit by the government in February, the scheme aims to provide free electricity to 10 million households nationwide by incentivizing rooftop solar installations.

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Minister of new and renewable energy, Pralhad Joshi, announced the milestone at an event organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi on Wednesday. He also highlighted India's impressive growth in solar photovoltaic (PV) energy capacity, adding over 17 gigawatt (GW) between January and September of this year.

"(J)ust last week, India has achieved four lakh installations under PM's Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana," Joshi said. "Solar power constitutes 20% of India's total install power capacity, showing the growth rate of more than 26% compared to the previous year. We must always remember that the international solar alliance emerges from the shared vision of harnessing the solar energy's vast potential," he added.

As the president of the ISA, Joshi urged member nations to unite in making solar the energy of choice, nurturing solar entrepreneurs to enhance accessibility, and mobilizing capital to accelerate deployment.

The ISA, formed in 2015 under the joint leadership of India and France, plays a key role in promoting clean energy and supporting the Paris Agreement’s goals. It assists member nations in crafting low-carbon growth plans and aims to attract $1 trillion in solar energy investments by 2030.

Rooftop solar installations have become a global trend, with many countries adopting similar policies. The ISA has proposed rooftop solar projects to nations such as São Tomé and Príncipe and Bangladesh, and is currently running pilot projects in Ethiopia, according to Ajay Mathur, director general of the ISA, who spoke at the event.

When asked about the financing challenges hindering solar investments in ISA member countries, Mathur acknowledged investor hesitation, driven by concerns over return on investment. However, he pointed to Africa as a promising example.

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“(W)hen we looked at Africa, for example, we found that it was more than 98%,” Mathur explained, highlighting the continent’s untapped potential.