Arihant Arden: A 500 kWp Rooftop Solar Model for India’s High-Rise RWAs

Arihant Arden, a residential society in Greater Noida West, has commissioned a 500 kWp rooftop solar power plant that is expected to generate 8.7-9.49 lakh units of clean electricity annually, delivering over INR 60 lakh in yearly savings for common-area power consumption and serve as a replicable model for Group Housing Societies and RWAs adopting community-led clean energy.

July 18, 2026. By News Bureau

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Electricity expenditure

Residential solar

Community Asset

PM Surya Ghar Yojana

A residential community in Greater Noida West has demonstrated how collective leadership can transform unused rooftops into a source of clean electricity, substantial financial savings and measurable climate action.

Rising electricity expenditure for lifts, water pumps, lighting, security systems and other common facilities has become a serious concern for high-rise residential societies. Arihant Arden, located in Greater Noida West, has responded by converting the rooftops of its residential towers into a 500 kWp distributed solar power plant.

The project is now operational, with solar panels installed across the society’s towers. As per information provided by the RWA and project team, the system is generating approximately 2,400–2,600 units of clean electricity every day.

At this level of generation, Arihant Arden is expected to produce approximately 8.76–9.49 lakh units of solar electricity annually. The project is estimated to deliver electricity-bill savings of more than INR 60 lakh every year, substantially reducing the financial pressure created by common-area electricity consumption.

Commending the efforts of the RWA, Ravinder Singh, IAS, Director, UPNEDA, congratulated the Resident Welfare Association and residents of Arihant Arden for successfully implementing a 500 kWp rooftop solar power project across their residential towers. He said to Energetica India, “This initiative demonstrates how the rooftops of large housing societies can be transformed into productive clean-energy assets. The reported generation of approximately 2,400–2,600 units per day, together with substantial annual electricity savings, makes Arihant Arden an important example for residential communities across Uttar Pradesh.”

From an Expense to a Community Asset
Before solar installation, the society’s rooftops were largely passive spaces. Today, those same rooftops have become productive energy-generating assets.

Solar electricity generated during the day helps meet the society’s common-area demand and reduces the amount of electricity purchased from the grid. The resulting savings can strengthen the RWA’s finances and allow more funds to be directed towards maintenance, security, landscaping, water management and other facilities for residents. Buoyed by the massive savings, the RWA is mulling over installing more solar panels on the towers that could not be taken in the first phase.

Unlike a temporary cost-cutting measure, the solar plant is a long-term infrastructure investment. Every unit generated on the rooftop represents electricity that the society does not need to purchase at the prevailing grid tariff.

The project therefore provides Arihant Arden with three benefits simultaneously: lower electricity expenditure, greater protection against future tariff increases and cleaner energy for common facilities.

INR 90 Lakh Support Under PM Surya Ghar
The project information shared by the RWA indicates that Arihant Arden received approximately INR 90 lakh as Central Financial Assistance for the 500 kWp installation from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India.

Under the PM Surya Ghar guidelines, Group Housing Societies and RWAs can receive Central Financial Assistance of INR 18,000 per kWp for solar plants serving common facilities, including EV charging, up to an eligible capacity of 500 kWp, subject to scheme conditions. A fully eligible 500 kWp project can therefore receive assistance of up to INR 90 lakh.

Singh added, “The project also highlights the opportunities available to Group Housing Societies and RWAs under the PM Surya Ghar programme. By using available government support, adopting proper technical standards and developing consensus among residents, societies can significantly reduce expenditure on electricity used for common facilities. I appreciate the leadership of the RWA, the cooperation of the residents and the contribution of all agencies and professionals associated with the project.”

Arihant Arden’s experience demonstrates that the PM Surya Ghar program is not limited to small individual homes. With proper planning, documentation, resident participation and coordination with the electricity distribution company, the scheme can also support large high-rise residential communities.

A Significant Climate Action by Residents
The environmental impact of the project is equally important. Based on the reported daily generation, the solar plant could produce between 876 MWh and 949 MWh of renewable electricity annually.

The Central Electricity Authority’s latest baseline database reports a weighted-average grid electricity emission factor of approximately 0.710 tonnes of carbon dioxide per MWh for FY 2024–25. On this basis, Arihant Arden’s project could avoid approximately 622–674 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

The society has therefore moved beyond discussing climate change and has taken measurable action at the community level. Its residents are collectively:

Generating renewable electricity within the housing complex;
Reduced dependence on conventional grid power;
Lowering the carbon footprint of common services;
Demonstrating responsible use of available rooftop space, and
Created a replicable model for urban residential communities.

Demonstration of RWA Leadership
A 500 kWp rooftop project cannot be implemented through technology alone. It requires agreement among residents, transparent financial evaluation, technical assessment of multiple rooftops, coordination with vendors, statutory approvals, net metering and proper operation and maintenance arrangements. The successful implementation of the project, therefore, represents an important achievement of the RWA and the residents of Arihant Arden.

The society’s leadership recognised that electricity bills should not be treated as an unavoidable and continuously increasing expense. By taking a long-term view, the RWA has shown that collective decision-making can generate substantial financial and environmental value for an entire community.

An Inspiration for Other RWAs
Thousands of housing societies across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR have large rooftops but continue to purchase almost their entire common-area electricity requirement from the grid. Arihant Arden offers them a clear message: “A residential society’s rooftop is not merely an empty space; it can be an electricity-generating asset for the entire community.”

Not every RWA may require a 500 kWp system. Some societies may need 50 kWp, 100 kWp or 250 kWp. The appropriate capacity will depend on rooftop availability, common-area consumption, sanctioned load, shadow-free space and the number of residential units.

However, the first step remains the same: undertake a professional feasibility study, examine electricity bills, determine the eligible subsidy and place a transparent financial proposal before the residents.

Arihant Arden has shown what is possible when residents, RWA office-bearers, government agencies, the DISCOM and the solar industry work towards a common objective. Its solar journey is not merely an electricity-saving project. It is an example of community leadership, responsible governance and practical climate action.

Talking about the replicability of the model, the UPNEDA Director appealed to other RWAs to study their common-area electricity consumption, undertake rooftop-solar feasibility assessments and come forward to participate in Uttar Pradesh’s clean-energy journey. “Every suitable residential rooftop can contribute towards lower electricity bills, reduced carbon emissions and a greener future for the state,” he said.