India’s residential rooftop solar potential estimated at 637 GW (2024)

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India’s residential rooftop solar potential estimated at 637 GW? ›

A new report by CEEW says residential rooftops in India could accommodate 637 GW of solar capacity. Tapping just one-third of this potential could support the entire electricity demand of the Indian residential sector.

According to a recent report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), over 250 million households across the country have the potential to deploy 637 GW of solar capacity on rooftops. However, as of December 2023, India installed only 11.08 GW of grid-connected RTS against a target of 40 GW.

What is a 1MW Solar Power Plant Cost? A 1 MW solar power plant cost involves a substantial amount of capital needed to purchase the land for the power plant, solar modules, power converters, wiring, and other related structures. On average, a 1MW commercial solar installation requires an investment of ₹4.5-5 crores.

Currently, India has installed 11 GW of rooftop solar capacity, of which only 2.7 GW is in the residential sector.

The installed solar energy capacity has increased by 30 times in the last 9 years and stands at 87.2 GW as of Jul 2024. India's solar energy potential is estimated to be 748 GWp as estimated by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).

This is even more important considering last year's government resolution of adding 50 GW of renewable energy capacity annually for the next 5 years, i.e., from Financial Year 2023-24 till Financial Year 2027-28, to achieve the target of 500 GW by 2030.

The country's installed RTS capacity increased by 2.99 GW in 2023-2024, the highest growth reported in a year. As of March 31 this year, the total installed RTS capacity in India was 11.87 GW, per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The target set by the Government for rooftop solar panel installation is almost 100 GW by the end of 2022. The major question around solar panels is whether installing solar panels worth it. The answer is YES. Solar panels have a lot of benefits apart from reducing your electricity bills.

For conventional generators, such as a coal plant, a megawatt of capacity will produce electricity that equates to about the same amount of electricity consumed by 400 to 900 homes in a year.

A smaller house in a temperate region would consume around 210-kilowatt hours (kWh) per month. Whereas a larger house where air conditioners require the most energy might use 2,000 kWh or more. The typical home uses 900 kWh per month.

How many solar panels do I need to power my house in India? ›

Based on these factors, the average solar panel system for a home in India will typically consist of around 10-15 solar panels. This is enough to generate between 3-5 kilowatts of power, which is enough to meet the energy needs of a typical household.

Solar Power in Rajasthan

The state has the highest solar power potential due to its vast arid land and high solar irradiation. The Bhadla Solar Park located in the Jodhpur district is the largest solar power plant in India with a capacity of 2,245 MW.

Under the Rooftop Solar Scheme, the government will provide the below subsidies for installing solar panels: For up to 2 kW - Rs. 30,000 per kW. For additional capacity up to 3 kW - Rs. 18,000 per kW. Total subsidy for systems larger than 3 kW - Maximum Rs. 78,000.

For those who are looking for more power, how's this: One gigawatt is equivalent to 1.3 million horsepower. Here's a more practical measurement, though: One gigawatt is enough energy to power about 750,000 homes.

To put this into perspective, to generate a gigawatt of energy, 3.125 million solar panels would be required. Solar panel efficiency is also important, as this determines how much energy the panel can convert from sunlight into electricity.

To meet India's ambitious target of installing 500 GW of renewable energy capacity (with a solar component of 280 GW) by 2030 and its larger net-zero goals by 2070, RTS alone needs to contribute about 100 GW by 2030.

India has committed to generating 100 GW of solar power out of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 under the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Currently, India has an installed solar capacity of 43 GW.

A new report prepared under the Indo-German Technical Cooperation on Innovative Solar (IN Solar) shows that inland bodies of water in India have the technical potential to host 206.7 GWp of floating solar capacity.

Reduce your electricity bills by 90%

They help make India sustainable. The most efficient solar panels in India turn lots of sunlight into power, using every ray well. The top rated solar panels do more than just convert energy. They last long and work well in India's weather.