According to the latest report from Mercom India, Maharashtra has become the second-largest state in India for cumulative rooftop solar installations, following Gujarat. The report indicated that Maharashtra contributes 13.3 per cent to the nation?s total solar Photovoltaic (PV) installations. It was noted that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) alone accounted for 8 per cent of the state's solar rooftop installed capacity.
The report revealed that by June, India's total cumulative rooftop solar installations had reached 11.6 GW, with Maharashtra?s installed capacity at 1.5 GW, ranking second only to Gujarat's 3.2 GW. Additionally, Maharashtra added 95 MW of rooftop solar capacity in the second quarter of 2024, from April to June, marking a significant 77 percent increase from the 53.4 MW added in the previous quarter, January to March. It was mentioned that 74 percent of the state?s quarterly capacity additions were due to installations under the Prime Minister ? Surya Ghar program.
Officials from the state energy department attributed this growth to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy?s (MNRE) subsidy scheme, which offers a 20 percent to 40 percent subsidy on solar installations. This scheme has encouraged many citizens and housing societies to adopt solar energy, benefiting from government subsidies and achieving reductions of 50 percent or more in monthly electricity bills. Although the initial investment in solar energy is considerable, the one-time cost is supported by government assistance. The generated solar power is used for various purposes, including staircase lights, street lights, and hot water for bathing, with many societies also using it for gardens and common utilities.
MSEDCL managing director Lokesh Chandra stated that the power utility had received over 130,000 applications across Maharashtra, with 26,000 rooftop solar installations completed and more than 70,000 applications approved. He mentioned that MSEDCL is set to receive a Rs 150 crore subsidy from the central government under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which will be distributed among power consumers. Chandra noted that the continuation of this scheme by the Union government is expected to encourage more residential consumers to switch to solar energy.
