PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: Centre Unveils New Guidelines to Enhance Rooftop Solar Plant Installations

Synopsis

The Centre has introduced new guidelines under the PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to facilitate rooftop solar plant installations. The scheme offers two models: RESCO and utility-led aggregation, aimed at making solar energy more accessible and affordable for households across India.

Key Takeaways

New guidelines to boost rooftop solar installations.
Two implementation models: RESCO and ULA.
Rs 100 crore fund for payment security.
Target of 1 crore solar installations by 2027.
40% subsidy for households.

New Delhi, Jan 14 (NationPress) To enhance the deployment of rooftop solar plants, the Centre announced new scheme guidelines under the PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana on Tuesday.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has set forth fresh norms for the execution of the ‘Payment Security Mechanism’ Component and the ‘Central Financial Assistance’ component for RESCO models and utility-led aggregation models.

This scheme presents two different implementation frameworks for consumers wishing to install rooftop solar plants.

These include the RESCO (renewable energy service company) model, wherein third-party companies finance the rooftop solar installations, enabling consumers to pay solely for the electricity they use, without the burden of initial expenses; and the utility-led aggregation (ULA) model, which allows discoms or state-designated entities to install rooftop solar systems on behalf of individual households in the residential sector.

For this scheme, a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for the payment security mechanism (PSM) to mitigate risks associated with investments in RESCO-based grid-connected rooftop solar systems in residential areas, with the possibility of additional funding from grants and other sources upon approval from the Ministry.

"These guidelines complement the existing implementation model utilized by consumers (capex mode) via the national portal (www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in), and these new models will enhance the national portal's implementation of the scheme,” stated the ministry.

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to provide solar energy to one crore households by March 2027.

Since its inception in February 2024, with a budget of Rs 75,021 crore, the scheme has achieved 685,763 installations, reaching 86 percent of the installations made in the previous decade.

The primary demand stemmed from the 3-5 kW load segment, which constituted 77 percent of the installations, while 14 percent fell into the category exceeding 5 kW. Gujarat topped the list for installations, followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala.

According to recent government statistics, over 1.45 crore registrations have been recorded under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The scheme provides a subsidy of up to 40 percent to households, making renewable energy more affordable and accessible.