New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- Delhi's rooftop solar drive is drawing registrations from across the Capital, with applications spread relatively evenly among the three major electricity distribution companies, as the government targets 2.30 lakh rooftop solar installations by March 31, 2027.
The registration portal, launched on September 21, had received 77,614 applications by October 9. The distribution of applications suggests that interest extends across different parts of the city rather than being concentrated in a single discom area. BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) recorded 27,197 registrations, followed by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) with 26,788 and BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) with 23,925. The difference between the highest and second-highest totals is just 409 applications.
Power Minister Ashish Sood said the response from rural areas and unauthorised colonies had been particularly encouraging. "This shows the immense trust and enthusiasm of our citizens," he said.
The government's target is to expand rooftop solar access while helping households reduce electricity expenses and encouraging decentralised clean-energy generation. The scale of the potential rollout is significant: Delhi had around 61 lakh domestic electricity consumers in 2024-25,
leaving a large pool of households that could potentially explore rooftop solar, subject to eligibility and technical feasibility.
Under the revised Delhi Solar Energy Policy, eligible domestic consumers with average monthly consumption of up to 400 units can receive rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW without paying the installation cost upfront, subject to the scheme's conditions. The Centre provides a subsidy of up to Rs 78,000,
while the Delhi government has announced an additional subsidy of up to Rs 78,000. The combined support can reach Rs 1.56 lakh for eligible systems.
The policy also seeks to make solar adoption easier for group housing societies. The Delhi government has increased its subsidy for rooftop systems serving common facilities from Rs 2,000 to Rs 11,000 per kW, up to 500 kW, with eligible projects also able to receive central assistance.
For households, the benefits can extend beyond reducing electricity bills. Consumers may also sell surplus power to distribution companies under applicable arrangements. The revised policy further provides for five years of free maintenance, while the government has said the time required for residential net metering would be reduced from around 75 days to 25 days.
The next phase will depend on translating registrations into installed and operational systems. The March deadline makes installation progress, commissioning and the capacity added to Delhi's rooftop solar network key indicators of the scheme's reach.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.