Uttar Pradesh has immense potential in solar manufacturing, with the state making significant strides in this sector. Under the PM Surya Ghar initiative, we have already achieved an installed capacity of 750 MW. More than 2 lakh homes in the state have adopted solar rooftop panels, making Uttar Pradesh the 3rd highest performer in the country under this project. We have received over 12.5 lakh applications so far, and our target is to scale this number to 25 lakh within this year. This demonstrates a vast opportunity for solar manufacturers and investors to participate in the state’s clean energy journey.

Uttar Pradesh currently consumes around 32,000 MW of power during peak season, and this demand is rising steadily with rapid industrialisation. In the near future, this figure is expected to nearly double. With the Central Government mandating that 29% of power consumption must come from renewable energy sources under the Renewable Energy Obligation framework, Uttar Pradesh offers a substantial growth space for solar manufacturers, renewable energy players, and investors.

In the last month, Uttar Pradesh recorded an average of 98 rooftop solar installations per day. Over the last 8 days, this number rose to around 923 installations per day, surpassing Gujarat’s daily average of 686. For the first time, UP has overtaken Gujarat in solar rooftop installations, marking a major achievement under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.

This success has been possible due to the tireless work of vendors. When the scheme was launched on 13th February 2024, there were only 400 empanelled vendors in UP. Today, more than 3,500 vendors are empanelled under UPNEDA, each employing on average 12 people. This translates into direct employment for about 42,000 people and indirect employment for nearly 50,000 more in manufacturing, logistics, and allied activities. In total, the scheme has generated employment for nearly 1 lakh people in Uttar Pradesh.

Through rooftop solar, UP has also saved around 3,500 acres of land that would otherwise have been required for large solar parks. The state has already installed 800 MW of renewable energy capacity under this program. With a total target of 11.27 lakh installations, UP has so far completed over 2.2 lakh installations, ranking No. 3 nationally overall but No. 1 in daily installations across India.

The scheme is not just about green energy—it is also about employment generation, youth skilling, entrepreneurship, and technology adoption in urban and semi-urban areas. Districts like Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, Bareilly, and Agra are leading the way. Lucknow alone has been ranked No. 1 across India for six consecutive months in rooftop solar adoption, ahead of Surat and Ahmedabad.

Financially, the program offers strong incentives. For example, subsidies provided are approximately:

• ₹45,000 for a 1 kW system

• ₹90,000 for a 2 kW system

• ₹1,18,000 for a 3 kW system

With nearly 14 lakh applications already received on the portal, the challenge now is to increase the number of vendors and streamline vendor selection, which currently stands at only 30% conversion. UP will require more than 10,000 vendors to achieve its ambitious targets.

Despite challenges such as banking processes, financing hurdles, and delays in meter inspections, UP’s solar market is booming. Many entrepreneurs who started with investments as low as ₹5 lakh have achieved turnovers of over ₹1 crore within just 18 months. This proves that UP is emerging as the “Land of Entrepreneurs in Rooftop Solar.”

The PM Surya Ghar scheme, with an investment outlay of ₹75,000 crore, is not only accelerating India’s green energy transition but also creating a strong ecosystem for youth employment, vendor empowerment, and local entrepreneurship. With the current momentum, rooftop solar in UP is poised to become as common as mobile phones in households—an everyday consumer product with a 25-year lifespan.

Insights shared by: Shri Inderjit Singh, Special Secretary, Department of Additional Sources of Energy and Director, UPNEDA at the Elets Net Zero Summit (11th September), Lucknow

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