CEEW Report Reveals Massive 637 GW Residential Rooftop Solar Potential in India

In a recent report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), it has been revealed that over 25 crore households across India have the potential to harness 637 GW of solar energy on their rooftops. The CEEW study, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, conducted a comprehensive analysis across 21 Indian states, covering 97% of the country’s population. The findings indicate that deploying just one-third of this solar potential could fulfill the entire electricity demand of India’s residential sector, amounting to approximately 310 TWh.

However, when considering current household electricity consumption, the technical potential is reduced to one-fifth, equivalent to 118 GW. Many residential consumers fall into low-consumption categories, making solar economically unfeasible without financial support. This potential decreases further to 11 GW when factors such as a restricted payback period and consumer willingness to adopt solar are taken into account. Nevertheless, with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s capital subsidy, the potential increases to 32 GW, making rooftop solar systems more viable for a larger consumer base.

Presently, India has installed 11 GW of rooftop solar capacity, with only 2.7 GW in the residential sector. The CEEW report highlights that 60% of the residential rooftop potential is concentrated in seven states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

The report underscores the importance of accelerating the adoption of rooftop solar to aid India in achieving its net-zero goal by 2070. Lalit Bohra IRTS, Joint Secretary, MNRE, emphasized the significance of rooftop solar in decarbonizing the economy. The study also found that rural areas exhibit higher technical potential for rooftop solar compared to urban areas across states.

To unlock this potential, the report recommends targeted capital subsidies for consumers, particularly for smaller rooftop solar systems, and calls for the recognition of innovative models beyond traditional CAPEX and OPEX approaches. Creating a one-stop platform for rooftop solar information at the state level and implementing awareness campaigns at the national level are also suggested to boost market demand. The report emphasizes the economic benefits for power distribution companies and recommends introducing low-cost financing options for residential consumers to further drive solar adoption.