Chandigarh And Haryana Lead Regional Push In Rooftop Solar And Waste-To-Energy Initiatives

As of October 31, 2025, India has achieved an aggregated rooftop solar (RTS) capacity of 22.42 gigawatts (GW), installed by various consumers across the country. This information was shared by the Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy and Power, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, in response to an unstarred question regarding the status of solar energy installations.

Focusing on government buildings, the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the state of Haryana have shown notable progress in solar adoption. Chandigarh has solarized 6,606 government buildings, achieving a total installed RTS capacity of 52.825 megawatts (MW). Haryana, while smaller in terms of numbers, has installed rooftop solar on 241 government buildings with a combined capacity of 4.82 MW. These initiatives reflect a growing emphasis on renewable energy adoption in public infrastructure within the region. Punjab also reported significant installations, leading in the number of solarized government buildings with 4,474 buildings and a total capacity of 34 MW. Across India, a total of 13,525 government buildings under various central ministries and departments have adopted rooftop solar, contributing to 619.78 MW of installed capacity as of November 4, 2025.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy clarified that no coercive measures have been issued to compel private rooftop solar installations. State or UT agencies have not been directed to threaten the cancellation of property registration or conveyance deeds through amendments to building bylaws, ensuring that adoption remains voluntary.

In addition to rooftop solar, Chandigarh’s efforts in waste management through the Dadumajra landfill were highlighted. While a fully functional Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant has not been established due to prolonged litigation over the site, the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) continues to process wet and dry waste, converting it into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), a recognized WTE approach. The facility currently handles 200 metric tons per day of dry waste and includes a mixed-waste processing setup. Further, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the MCC and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. to establish a segregated organic Municipal Solid Waste-based Compressed Bio Gas plant at Dadumajra, designed to process around 230 metric tons of waste per day.

These developments in Chandigarh and Haryana demonstrate a growing regional focus on sustainable energy and waste management solutions, reflecting India’s broader commitment to renewable energy adoption and circular economy initiatives.