NEW DELHI: Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has projected that India’s rooftop solar market has the potential to scale to 132 GW from the current 17 GW installed capacity, with an annual demand outlook ranging between 9-15 GW till 2030.In its report on the residential rooftop solar market, titled Market Sizing and Growth Outlook, ISMA said this will also create demand for domestically manufactured components, including solar cells, modules, inverters and balance-of-system components.ISMA’s assessment is based on national residential electricity consumption, household housing characteristics and distribution utility tariffs.The report also highlighted the “affordability effect”, showing that rooftop solar adoption is increasingly expanding beyond states where its economics are naturally strongest. Govt’s flagship scheme, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, has helped bring rooftop solar within reach of households across larger residential markets, demonstrating the role of policy support in broadening adoption and creating a more sustained demand base for India’s domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem.Launched in Feb 2024, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) aims to bring rooftop solar to one crore Indian homes by March 2027. The total number of rooftop solar installations has reached 47.8 lakh with total installed capacity of 16.8 GW, benefitting nearly 56.9 lakh families. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has so far disbursed over Rs 31,515 crore as central financial assistance, while several states are also running separate subsidy schemes to promote the installation of rooftop solar systems.ISMA general secretary Amit Manohar said the PM Surya Ghar scheme has played an important role in expanding residential rooftop solar adoption, particularly in markets where project economics remain challenging. “As the current programme approaches the March 2027 deadline, providing early clarity on its next phase, including consideration of PM Surya Ghar 2.0, preferably by December 2026, would help maintain market continuity and provide greater visibility to consumers and industry stakeholders,” said Manohar.The report noted that policy continuity beyond March 2027 will be important to sustain demand and provide manufacturers and other stakeholders with the visibility required to plan investments, capacity expansion and domestic supply chains.
