1,04,035 Consumers Join Rooftop Solar Movement, Generate 1,656 MW Power In Maharashtra

Mumbai, 6th September 2023: The number of electricity consumers in the Maharashtra state generating power through rooftop solar panels has recently surpassed one lakh, as reported by MSEDCL Chairman and Managing Director, Lokash Chandra. 

The Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, has issued directives to prioritize solar power generation. Installing rooftop solar panels reduces the electricity bills for consumers, and surplus energy can be sold back to MSEDCL through net metering, resulting in discounted future bills. Some consumers who have installed rooftop solar projects are even enjoying zero electricity bills.

As of September 6, the number of rooftop solar consumers in the state has reached 104,035, with a total power generation capacity of 1,656 MW. This combined capacity rivals that of a large thermal or hydroelectric plant. In the fiscal year 2016-17, only 1,074 consumers had installed rooftop solar power generation projects with a total capacity of 20 MW in the state. Thanks to MSEDCL’s efforts, the number of consumers adopting rooftop solar projects has grown rapidly.

In the fiscal year 2019-20, the number of such customers increased to 26,017, and the total capacity reached 512 MW. Remarkably, in just two years, from 2021-22 to 2022-23, there was an addition of 421 MW in power generation capacity through rooftop solar installations. Domestic consumers receive subsidies from the central government for rooftop solar projects, and MSEDCL assists customers in the installation process. Detailed information about this can be found on MSEDCL’s website at https://www.mahadiscom.in/ismart.

Typically, a 3 kW solar power generation project is sufficient for a family, and the government provides subsidies ranging from approximately 43,000 to 56,000 rupees for such installations. Projects with capacities between three and ten kilowatts receive subsidies of about seven to nine thousand rupees per kilowatt after the initial three kilowatts. In addition to individual electricity consumers, housing societies also benefit from the rooftop solar scheme and receive subsidies.