India Hits 35 GW Distributed Solar Milestone via $13 Billion Investment

India has reportedly spent more than $13 billion on distributed solar schemes, resulting in about 35 GW of capacity being added over the past 15 months, as per news reports.  

The funds have mainly supported 2 central programmes, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for rooftop systems and the PM-KUSUM scheme for solar-powered agricultural pumps. 

As per the reports, more than half of the country’s distributed renewable energy capacity has been created during this period.  

Rooftop Scheme Crosses 30 Lakh Households 

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is expected to reach 1 crore rooftop installations within the next 2 years. These systems are projected to generate around 30 GW of electricity once completed. 

Government statements said the programme is set to cross 30 lakh beneficiary households this week. The scheme is for expanding small rooftop systems among residential consumers. 

Solar Pumps Bring Down Irrigation Costs 

The PM-KUSUM scheme focuses on solarising agricultural pump sets. In Maharashtra, as per the reports, the cost of power for irrigation has fallen from about ₹8 per unit to around ₹3 per unit after solar pumps were installed. 

The government plans to sanction 1 lakh additional pumps in the state under the scheme. The programme is meant to lower power costs for farmers and reduce pressure on conventional supply. 

Capacity Growth and System Upgrades 

According to the power ministry, more than half of India’s distributed renewable capacity of roughly 35 GW has been added in the past 15 months. The expansion has been supported by central schemes and adoption at the consumer level. 

Reports also suggest that artificial intelligence could be used to support the India Energy Stack and help manage the grid as distributed capacity grows. 

Read More: PM Surya Ghar Scheme: Rooftop Solar Push Slows Due to Loan Delays and Limited Support from State Utilities! 

Conclusion 

Investment in rooftop solar and solar pumps has driven a rise in distributed capacity over the past year. Installations continue to increase under the 2 central programmes. 

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