For years, India’s solar journey has been narrated through gigawatts, targets, and policy announcements. But for those of us who power rooftops across cities and towns, 2025 will be remembered as the year rooftop solar truly became part of everyday India.
This year, solar stopped being aspirational and became deeply practical, a household decision anchored in savings and long-term certainty.
Across 2025, middle-income families, cooperative housing societies, schools, and small businesses moved to solar for one simple reason: energy costs were rising, summers were stretching longer, and households were looking for stability. Solar stopped being a “future choice” and became a present-day necessity. That mindset shift mattered more than any other metric.
The Rise of a More Informed Solar Consumer
One of the most encouraging developments in 2025 was the emergence of a more informed solar buyer, who is clearer about their expectations.
Today’s consumers ask sharper questions about generation accuracy, installation timelines, warranties, service quality, and system performance over 20–25 years. This is a sign of a maturing category. Rooftop solar now behaves like a mainstream consumer product, where trust, experience, and after-sales accountability matter as much as the hardware.
This shift has elevated the entire ecosystem. Installation standards have improved, service frameworks have strengthened, and monitoring and customer support have become central to the solar value proposition. Consumers are no longer just buying panels — they are buying predictability in monthly expenses and confidence in long-term outcomes.
Policy Translated to Action
India has long articulated an ambitious renewable energy vision. What changed in 2025 was the execution. Approval processes became more streamlined across many regions, coordination between institutions improved, and rooftop solar became easier to access for first-time buyers.
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana played a pivotal role in accelerating adoption. By early December 2025, nearly 24 lakh households had installed rooftop systems under the scheme, generating an estimated 7 GW of residential solar capacity. Milestones such as crossing 10 lakh installations in 2024 reflected the speed at which demand scaled once barriers were reduced.
Financing Will Be a Strong Enabler for Solar Growth
Another defining shift in 2025 was the evolving perception of rooftop solar among lenders. Banks and NBFCs increasingly recognised residential solar as a strong, cash-flow-improving asset. Lower electricity bills translate directly into better household economics. This reality has reshaped risk assessment and expanded access to financing. Looking ahead, financing innovation and access will be one of the biggest growth catalysts.
Manufacturing Scale, With a Focus on Quality
India’s domestic solar manufacturing capacity continued to scale in 2025, strengthening long-term energy independence. As the ecosystem matures, the next phase of leadership will be defined not just by capacity, but by quality, reliability, and technological advancement.
Advanced cell technologies, dependable inverters, and a robust component ecosystem will position India as a globally trusted manufacturing hub. The opportunity ahead lies in moving steadily from volume-led growth to value-led leadership.
What the Data Signals for 2026
Patterns from 2025 offer promising signals for the year ahead. Installations peaked between April and August, when electricity costs were highest. Tier-2 markets showed outsized growth, and this momentum is expected to intensify. Importantly, adoption remained resilient beyond peak summer months, continuing steadily through festive and year-end periods — indicating that rooftop solar demand is becoming structurally consistent, not seasonal.
If these trends hold, rooftop adoption could grow another 20–25% in 2026, with smaller cities driving much of the expansion. Consumers are also beginning to think beyond standalone solar plants, exploring adjacent solutions like batteries, EV chargers, smart meters, and home energy management tools. Rooftop solar is becoming the foundation of a broader home-energy ecosystem.
The Year Ahead
Rooftop solar in India is no longer emerging; it is mainstream. The next phase will be defined by execution at scale: consistent regulation, strong financing support, and high-quality domestic manufacturing.
For founders, operators, and policymakers in this space, the opportunity ahead is significant — but so is the responsibility. The choices made in 2026 will determine how resilient, inclusive, and impactful India’s rooftop solar journey becomes, and how millions of Indian households experience clean energy |
