Solar rooftops: A welcome initiative

The Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, is an important programme which has the potential to change the country’s energy profile. It proposes to install rooftop solar systems in 10 million (one crore) houses across the country. The use of renewable sources of energy is important at a time of global warming and climate change. India has to fulfil the commitments it has made to the world community on reducing the use of conventional energy. It will also cut the cost of energy for households. India is well placed to use solar energy as it gets about 250-300 sunny days in a year. It has also been estimated that there are about millions of households in the country that are in a position to tap solar energy. 

The government had launched the National Portal for Rooftop Solar in July 2022 to promote installation of solar power units by residential consumers, but it did not receive a good response. There are about a million households in the country with a rooftop solar set-up. In 2014, the government had planned to install 100 GW of solar power by 2022, but the target was not achieved. Till now, only about 11 GW of solar energy has been installed, of which 2.7 GW is in the residential sector. There are many reasons for the lukewarm response. The cost of installation of a solar unit is considered high by many people. At present, the National Rooftop Scheme provides financial assistance totalling 40% of the capital cost of a solar rooftop project. The government’s new programme will hopefully come as a financial and technical package which will be more attractive for households.  

The Prime Minister has said that an awareness campaign will be launched to encourage people to go for solar rooftops. This is particularly important in rural areas. A grid-connected rooftop solar power system will be of great use in villages where power disruptions are common. While the rooftop units are installed, the possibility of setting up EV (Electric Vehicle) charging points can also be explored. The shortage of charging points is one major constraint facing the EV industry. The Prime Minister has not announced any time schedule for the implementation of the scheme, but it should be completed at the earliest. Since the scheme involves participation of people, it will promote a sense of self-reliance in an important area. Fast and proper implementation of the programme will bring the country and citizens energy, environment and economic benefits.