Rajasthan govt's cities among 100 chosen to push rooftop solar expansion

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched the City Accelerator Program to promote rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana. Around 100 cities across the country, including four from Rajasthan, have been selected for the initiative. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Udaipur are among the cities chosen, a state energy department official said.

 

“Under the program, awareness activities and vendor training will be conducted in these cities to encourage people to install rooftop solar systems,” the official added.

 

The City Accelerator Program, being implemented in collaboration with the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), is a key initiative under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) — one of the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar schemes. It aims to accelerate the adoption of rooftop solar across Indian cities. 

Chairperson of the discoms in Rajasthan, Aarti Dogra, recently held a video conference with stakeholders, including representatives from SSEF, at Vidyut Bhawan. Officials from the Ministry of Renewable Energy also participated.

 

Dogra said there has been a significant rise in public interest in rooftop solar. On average, more than 10,000 installations are being added every month in the state. She emphasised the need to further increase this pace so Rajasthan can emerge as a leader in rooftop solar installations, similar to its performance under the PM-KUSUM scheme.

 

She highlighted the importance of raising awareness about solar energy at the grassroots level. With permissions granted for virtual net metering and group net metering in the state, even urban residents who do not have their own rooftops or adequate space can now benefit from solar power, she said.

 

Dogra added that the additional subsidy of ₹17,000 provided by the discoms under the 150 units of free electricity scheme will further boost rooftop solar uptake.

 

The state government’s scheme offering 150 units of free electricity per month applies specifically to domestic consumers who install rooftop solar systems.

 

So far, more than 109,000 rooftop solar plants have been installed in Rajasthan under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana. Jaipur has the highest number at 15,932 installations, followed by Udaipur with 5,794, Jodhpur with 6,436 and Ajmer with 2,759, with the remaining installations spread across other parts of the state.