Delhi launches rooftop solar portal; households to get subsidy of up to Rs 1.56 lakh

The Delhi government Monday launched a dedicated portal for residents to register for rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta saying households could receive benefits of up to Rs 1.56 lakh as the government seeks to accelerate residential solar adoption in the Capital.

The portal will serve as a single platform for consumers to register for rooftop solar installations, check subsidies, find empanelled vendors and raise grievances. Registrations opened Monday and installations will be taken up on a first-come, first-served basis. The government has set a target of covering around 2.3 lakh households under its expanded rooftop solar programme.

Up to 3 kW systems

Under the Centre’s PM Surya Ghar scheme, residential consumers are eligible for a subsidy of Rs 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and Rs 18,000 for the additional capacity up to 3 kW, taking the maximum Central assistance to Rs 78,000 for a 3 kW or larger system.

The Delhi government has supplemented the Central support with its own incentives under the revised solar programme. The government has said eligible households consuming up to 400 units of electricity a month will be able to get rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW without bearing the upfront installation cost, with the remaining expense met through the government-supported model after subsidies are accounted for.

The scheme also provides generation-based incentives for electricity produced by rooftop systems. Residential systems of up to 3 kW are eligible for an incentive of Rs 3 per unit, while those above 3 kW and up to 10 kW can receive Rs 2 per unit, subject to the policy provisions.

2.3 lakh homes targeted

Launching the portal, Gupta urged residents to register early, saying the programme would be implemented on a first-come, first-served basis. The government has set a target of taking rooftop solar to 2.3 lakh households as part of its push to expand clean-energy capacity and reduce household electricity expenses.

The initiative is aimed particularly at addressing the high upfront cost of rooftop installations, which the government has identified as one of the barriers to wider adoption of the Centre’s scheme in Delhi.

The portal also provides information on different adoption models, including conventional capital expenditure, Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO), Hybrid RESCO, community solar and group net metering. Consumers applying for the Central subsidy are required to select vendors empanelled under the PM Surya Ghar programme.

Benefits beyond individual homes

The scheme also covers group housing societies and resident welfare associations for solar installations used for common facilities, including electric-vehicle charging. Under the Central scheme, such installations can receive assistance of Rs 18,000 per kW, subject to the prescribed capacity limits.

The Delhi government is also offering state incentives for group housing societies and RWAs, while its solar policy provides for models intended to help consumers who either lack adequate rooftop space or cannot bear the initial cost of installing a system.

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was launched by the Centre in February 2024 with an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and a target of installing rooftop solar systems in one crore households across the country.

Delhi’s new portal brings the application process, state incentives and implementation mechanisms onto a dedicated platform as the government looks to substantially expand rooftop solar capacity in the Capital.