REconnect Summit 2025: Focusing on the Future of C&I Solar, Rooftops, and Hydrogen Power

The summit witnessed participation of experts during its second panel discussion, 'Expanding C&I, Residential, and Agricultural Solar in Rajasthan', that included Dr. Sathish Suri, Managing Director, GreenPath Energy and Sustainability Services (Moderator), Yash Tarwadi, CEO & Founder, Solnce Energy Pvt. Ltd., Ajay Yadav, President, REAR Renewable Energy Association, Dr. Nisha Sharma, HoD - Department of Chemistry, Parishkar College of Global Excellence, Jaipur, Er. Neha Sakka, Electrical Engineer (Policy & Industrial Area), Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., spearheads TEVAOP, Shailendra Prajapati, Director, Whole Solar Pvt Ltd., Narendra Gohil, DGM (Design and Engineering), Rays Power Ltd., and Nitin Gupta, Head - Solar Business, Luminous Power Technologies (P) Ltd.

Dr. Suri, as a Moderator  of the panel,  lauded Rajasthan's dynamic contribution to India's clean energy transition and described Rajasthan as a key player. He expressed strong confidence in India's ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity. He emphasised that this goal is "not only ambitious but also attainable" with concerted efforts from both central and state governments.

Experts stressed the multifaceted approach required for decarbonisation. The panelists outlined key strategic areas viz. grid decarbonisation, industrial decarbonisation, the transformation of the building sector, and clean transportation. They noted that these sectors collectively account for the majority of India's energy consumption and emissions, making their green transition paramount.

Furthermore, Dr. Suri pointed to the increasing importance of the energy storage sector in ensuring grid stability and effectively managing peak-hour power demands, a crucial element for the reliable integration of intermittent renewable sources.

Rajasthan has already surpassed 25 GW of installed solar capacity, with an additional 20 GW currently in the pipeline. "Rajasthan is currently the second-largest solar energy producer in India," Dr. Suri stated. Looking ahead, he emphasised the ambitious state target of reaching 142 GW of renewable energy by 2030, requiring an annual addition of "20 to 25 GW every year across solar, wind, and storage technologies."

He remarked that the sharing of effective policies is a positive trend, stating, "If one state adopts a good policy, there’s no harm in others following suit. At the end of the day, we are all working toward the same national goal.This collaborative spirit is seen as crucial for accelerating the adoption of clean energy across the country."

Beyond infrastructure development, Dr. Suri stressed the critical need for robust investment in research and development, cost optimisation strategies, and comprehensive skill development initiatives. He welcomed Rajasthan's proactive steps in establishing activation centers and training programs aimed at building a skilled workforce for the burgeoning renewable energy sector.

Hydrogen's pivotal role in achieving India's net-zero emissions target was a key focus of Dr. Nisha Sharma's address. She stressed the urgent need to transition to locally produced green energy sources. Dr. Sharma dwelled on the concept of decentralisation, defining it as localised energy production and consumption. "By the process of decentralisation, we can reduce the cost of transportation and storage of energy and increase the efficiency of hydrogen," she explained. She underscored hydrogen's critical importance, stating, "We believe hydrogen will play a crucial role to achieve the net-zero target."

Highlighting the synergy between renewable sources and hydrogen production, Dr. Sharma noted, "By the decentralised process, we can mitigate the problem of the cost… connect with the hydrogen production unit with the solar energy." She expressed optimism about future advancements, adding, "After five years, we can achieve this target."

Despite significant strides in commercial and industrial solar installations, the residential rooftop solar sector in India remains significantly behind. The residential rooftop target has to be worked upon. It was stressed that achieving India's renewable energy goals hinges on bringing solar power to individual homes. "Until we reach the residential rooftop and install solar at home, I believe we haven’t achieved anything," Yadav asserted.

Yadav emphasised the critical need for robust infrastructure to support solar expansion beyond rooftops, warning that without it, "the system will also die." He also touched upon regulatory hurdles and called for genuine intent and infrastructure development to realize PM schemes as a mass-scale movement.

Further, experts noted that the advantage of Rajasthan is different from other states, highlighting the state's high solar insolation rate, which boasts a regulation capacity of approximately 6.87 kWh per square meter per day. "This is an advantage that we can catch up," the expert added, emphasising that this natural edge can enable Rajasthan to outpace other states in solar energy deployment and achieve its green energy objectives more rapidly.

Experts dwelled on local Panchayati Raj and highlighted the disconnect between top-down mandates and on-ground affordability. “Don’t ask someone to invest INR 500 when they can only afford INR 50. Engage them, give them achievable goals. Only then will they stretch themselves willingly,” said Yadav, advocating for a bottom-up approach to planning and investment expectations.

While Rajasthan sets ambitious targets to solidify its position as India's leading solar energy producer, there are still a few concerns connected to the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar sector about the practicality of these goals and the effectiveness of current policy implementation at the ground level.

Policy execution, particularly concerning open access permissions for C&I users, also came under scrutiny. Rajasthan’s more progressive policy allowing open access up to 200 percent of contract demand was highlighted by one of the experts. However, even within Rajasthan, challenges persist. apace limitations, unclear transmission charges, and a lack of regulatory uniformity across different states were identified as significant hurdles.

According to Prajapati, while systems exist, integration features often create issues. Sometimes, due to regulatory calls, projects get disqualified. Also, most C&I connections are on HT, which creates challenges. One major issue is space. For example, a factory may have a sanctioned load of 1 MW, but physically, it doesn’t have enough space to install that much capacity. In such cases, developers look to install the system elsewhere. However, there is no proper government policy that allows power to be generated on rented or leased land and then supplied to the original consumer. If such a policy comes into play, allowing remote installation and power delivery, it could resolve many of these challenges. This is an area where more clarity and regulatory support would be highly beneficial for the industry.

However, participants also urged greater attention towards the residential rooftop segment. Experts advocated for increased awareness campaigns and subsidies for home solar systems.

Dwelling on the state's EV policy, Er. Neha said, "Rajasthan's early adoption of an EV policy in 2020 was lauded for its forward-thinking approach, including incentives for retrofit kits and EV manufacturing, direct subsidies of up to INR 5 lakh for charging station installation, and tax exemptions for EV component manufacturers." She further pointed out the allocation of land parcels along the DMIC corridor for dedicated EV zones, further underscoring the state's commitment to a holistic clean energy transition.

In conclusion, while Rajasthan has demonstrated significant ambition and taken commendable steps in the renewable energy sector, particularly with aggressive targets and incentives, there is still a need for greater inclusivity, clarity, and coordination. Bridging the gap between policy and practice, especially for the crucial C&I and residential segments, is identified as the next critical phase in Rajasthan's journey towards a sustainable energy future.