The Rooftop Solar Trust Gap: Building Consumer Confidence for India’s Next Solar Leap

India does not only need more rooftop-solar installations. It needs informed and confident consumers who understand the benefits of solar, know how to access the scheme and are satisfied enough to recommend it to others.

October 06, 2026. By News Bureau

Tags:

articles

Pawan Garg

Fujiyama Power Systems Ltd.

UTL Solar

Rooftop solar

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

Solar Awareness

Solar ecosystem

Renewable energy

India has shown the world what is possible when strong policies motivate the large-scale expansion of solar energy. The rapid growth of utility-scale and other solar energy projects has positioned solar energy as one of the key pillars of India’s development. Rooftop solar has also been gaining momentum in the country.

Now it is time for the same transformative shift to take place atop every household in the country.

As of 31 August 2026, India had a total installed capacity of 32.59 GW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects, as reported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India. These projects include rooftops of residential, commercial, industrial and other government buildings. While this represents substantial progress, the country’s residential rooftop opportunity is significantly larger.

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has provided powerful momentum to this opportunity. The government announced this scheme in the budget for February 2024. It aims to provide financial assistance for rooftop solar installations to 1 crore (10 million) households. The scheme provides a substantially improved end-to-end framework comprising of financial assistance, consumer requests, financing, vendor empanelling, technology, installation, inspection, and commissioning. This framework would also ensure that the subsidy is credited to beneficiaries.

Accelerating the adoption of residential rooftop solar in the country has been largely restricted to policy and institutional framework. This framework provides ample opportunities to enhance consumer acceptance, implementation and commitment.

From Solar Awareness to Solar Confidence

Indian consumers have a basic understanding of the various financial and environmental advantages of solar energy. Rooftop solar energy has the potential to reduce or eliminate a consumer’s dependence on the public electricity system.

But understanding the advantages of solar power does not always lead to the purchase of solar power systems.

Before making a purchase, potential customers want to be assured that the system will meet their expectations for its useful life and that the system will be supported by after-sales service. They have the right to expect such assurances.

Before any major purchase, potential customers consider a number of factors including the total cost, available subsidies, and the expected monthly savings. The potential customer also has the right to examine the expected longevity of the system and the warranties and maintenance costs.

Greater transparency across the industry will help convert awareness into installations.

Policy has Made Rooftop Solar More Accessible

The PM Surya Ghar scheme has significantly improved the financial proposition for residential consumers.

Under the prevailing guidelines, eligible households can receive central financial assistance of INR 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and INR 18,000 for the additional capacity upto 3 kW. The standard subsidy is therefore INR 78,000 for a rooftop system of 3 kW or above.

This financial assistance substantially reduces the initial cost for residential consumers. Direct transfer of the approved subsidy to the beneficiary’s bank account also brings transparency to the process.

The scheme’s importance extends beyond the subsidy. It brings together the stakeholders required to complete a rooftop installation, including consumers, DISCOMs, registered vendors, inspection agencies and financial institutions. This integrated approach is an important step towards making rooftop solar accessible to households at scale.

The foundation is already in place. The industry must help consumers understand and confidently use the opportunities it provides.

Financing is an Integral Part of the Ecosystem

Financing is essential for taking rooftop solar to a wider section of the population, particularly middle-income households that may prefer to distribute the cost over several years.

The policy ecosystem has recognised this requirement. Public-sector banks such as the State Bank of India and other participating financial institutions provide residential rooftop-solar loans on competitive terms, subject to their eligibility requirements. The PM Surya Ghar portal also provides information about participating banks, standard loan products and nodal contacts.

Standard financing products cover loans of up to INR 2 lakh as well as eligible loans above INR 2 lakh and up to INR 6 lakh, subject to the applicable conditions. NABARD has also introduced refinance support for eligible financial institutions to help widen access to residential rooftop-solar finance.

Financing is therefore not a missing part of the rooftop-solar framework. It is already available within the broader ecosystem created under the scheme.

The opportunity now is to make consumers more aware of these options. A household should be able to understand how much it needs to invest, the subsidy for which it may be eligible, the amount that can be financed, the applicable repayment obligations and the savings that the system may generate over time.

Banks, manufacturers, vendors and other industry participants can support the government’s efforts by explaining these options in simple language and guiding consumers towards suitable products.

A Single-window Journey Already Exists

The PM Surya Ghar National Portal provides consumers with a structured, end-to-end journey. It acts as a common digital platform connecting the different participants involved in a residential rooftop installation.

The journey includes:

Consumer registration
Application submission
Technical-feasibility approval
Selection of a registered vendor
Commencement of installation work
Submission of rooftop-solar installation details
Net metering application and installation
Project inspection by the DISCOM
Project commissioning
Submission of the subsidy request
Approval and disbursal of the subsidy

This single-window system is a significant strength of the scheme. It gives consumers visibility across the different stages of the process and reduces the need to approach multiple institutions independently.

The portal also provides access to information on financing options and registered vendors. By bringing the application, installation, inspection, commissioning and subsidy processes together, it creates exactly the kind of integrated journey required for mass residential adoption.

The role of the industry is to raise awareness about the platform, and provide support to consumers for digital based processes, if required. The portal impact can be strengthened further, if vendors and manufacturers, in addition to providing clear instructions and complete documentation, also ensure technical support for on-site installation.

Trust is Built Through Transparency

Before customers make the switch to solar, they should fully understand the solar system that will be installed on their home.

This should include the recommended capacity, expected annual generation, total price, applicable subsidy, financing options, expected savings, major components, warranty coverage and maintenance requirements. The quotation should clearly identify what is included and whether the consumer may have to bear any additional expense.

Generation estimates must also be realistic. There are several reasons for variations in solar output, including geography, climate, orientation and shading of the roof surface, weather, system losses, maintenance, etc. Consumers need to understand these so they can set realistic expectations.

The government's initiative of publishing registered vendors' details is a good step in the right direction. The industry can implement similar initiatives. Some of these may include use of standard terms and conditions in quotations, manuals detailing standard installation procedures, warranties, service, etc. and trained personnel.

Awareness programs help consumers understand the technology and what they should expect from it.

Quality Must Remain Central to Rapid Expansion

The Indian rooftop solar market is poised for significant growth in the coming years. Trust will be essential to gaining and keeping customers during this growth.

Solar modules, inverters, mounting structures, cables and other balance-of-system components must operate together effectively under Indian climatic and grid conditions. The performance of a rooftop installation depends not only on individual products but also on system design, component compatibility and installation workmanship.

Government measures such as the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers and domestic-content requirements strengthen manufacturing compliance and product traceability. These initiatives are also helping to create a local manufacturing ecosystem for solar in India.

Quality control by manufacturers and adherence to certification by vendors will allow the market to integrate solar power systems more quickly.

Correct and careful selection of installers by vendors will enhance safety and further the cause of solar power integration.

Although competition is beneficial, to some extent it discourages consideration of lifecycle cost and encourages reliance on initial cost. The price of rooftop solar systems must reflect their economic merit.A dependable system with transparent warranties and accessible service can deliver greater value over its operating life than a system chosen only on the basis of the lowest initial quotation.

Installation and Service are Part of the Product

For residential consumers, the installer is as important as the individual components. Well designed and manufactured modules and inverters can still underperform because of bad system design and/or installation.

Similar levels of detail must be applied to all aspects of system integration such as installation, wiring and grounding as is given to product selection. Therefore, training of installation staff would remain essential as the market for solar products spreads to rural and hinterland locations.

After sales service would also need to be an integrated part of the solar product offer. Consumers need access to trained technicians, defined service channels and replacement components when required.

Digital monitoring and remote diagnostics can help identify performance issues quickly. However, technology must be supported by a physical service network capable of responding to the consumer.

A well-supported installation can create confidence far beyond a single household. When people consider buying something large and expensive, they often look to their personal network for purchase and ownership experience. This makes happy solar panel customers a powerful ally in the promotion of solar energy.

Strengthening a Government-enabled Ecosystem

PM Surya Ghar has created a strong platform for India’s residential-solar transition. It has brought together financial assistance, institutional coordination, registered vendors, consumer financing and a single-window digital journey.

The next phase should focus on strengthening consumer participation in this government-enabled ecosystem.

Manufacturers must deliver reliable and appropriately certified products. Vendors must provide transparent quotations and quality installations. Banks and financial institutions must continue making financing understandable and accessible. DISCOMs must sustain efficient technical approvals, inspections and commissioning. Service providers must support consumers throughout the life of the system.
These efforts will complement the policy framework and help translate its benefits into a consistently positive household experience.

India does not only need more rooftop-solar installations. It needs informed and confident consumers who understand the benefits of solar, know how to access the scheme and are satisfied enough to recommend it to others.

The policy direction is clear. The financing options are available. The National Portal provides a complete application-to-subsidy ecosystem. The speed of development in technology and the ability to manufacture products domestically is increasing.

Currently, the opportunity exists to improve public understanding and commitment as well as the level of service and quality offered. The goal is to create a level of customer satisfaction so that the purchase of solar power systems becomes the natural next step for a household, rather than something a household would need a government subsidy to consider.

- Pawan Garg, Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Fujiyama Power Systems Ltd.