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Scaling Solar: Experts Urge Tech, Finance, and Policy Reform at REconnect Summit-25
Experts at REconnect Summit-25 call for unified policy, tech innovation, and financing reforms to scale rooftop and commercial and industrial solar adoption.
August 04, 2025. By EI News Network
India has laid out ambitious clean energy targets: 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070, in a bid to combat climate change and drive sustainable economic growth.
With strong government backing through initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and the Green Energy Open Access Rules, the country is rapidly expanding its renewable energy footprint across solar, wind, and emerging technologies.
As per recent reports, India has installed over 10 lakh rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY) by July 2025, adding around 1.5 GW to residential solar capacity. Meanwhile, India’s Commercial and Industrial (C&I) rooftop segment stands at ~2.4 GW, with expectations to hit 7.5 GW by the end of 2025.
Reflecting this momentum, Energetica India convened a clean energy REconect Summit-25 in New Delhi, bringing together top policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to explore the next phase of India’s solar energy journey.
In his inaugural address, Hemant Arora, Director, Energetica India, stated, “India has achieved a remarkable milestone in its energy transition journey: reaching 50 percent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of the target.”
He added that the REconnect Summit 2025 is ‘a call to action, ‘On the Way to 500+ GW’, driven by innovation, collaboration, and transformation.”
Further speaking at the event, Arun Goyal, Ex-Secretary, GoI and Former Member, CERC, highlighted the strong progress made in India's renewable energy journey, citing a clear direction and a stable regulatory framework.
He noted that the majority of recent solar, wind, and high-voltage transmission additions have come from the vibrant private sector, thanks to growing policy and regulatory certainty. Goyal emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between industry stakeholders and the private sector to sustain this momentum in clean energy expansion.
The first panel discussion, titled ‘Turning Targets into Transformation: Scaling Rooftop Solar and C&I for India’s 2030 Clean Energy Strategy,’ was moderated by Rashika Gupta, Vice President at Wood Mackenzie. The session featured an expert lineup including Anurag Chivilkar, Director and VP, Business Development at Roofsol Energy; Shubhashis Dey, Co-Founder of Solutions for Sustainable Living (SoSuL) and former NITI Aayog Climate Finance Expert; Arshi Chadha, Founder and CEO of Bridgeway Power; Bharat Singh TN, Director, Sales and Marketing at Ningbo Deye Inverter Technology Co., Ltd.; Anubha Shukla, CCO and Head, BEEM at Husk Power Systems; Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Director at CareEdge Ratings; Kiran Kumar Perka, Business Head at O2 Power; Rajan Saspara, CEO of Anand E-Beam Cables India Ltd.; and Mudit Jain, Head, Strategy and Partnerships at Tata Capital Ltd., Cleantech Finance.
The panel explored the critical role of rooftop and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar in India’s energy transition and emphasised the importance of a supportive policy environment, collaborative financing mechanisms, and active private sector involvement. Chivilkar pointed out the gap in rooftop solar adoption, saying, “Out of the 116 GW of grid-connected solar installed in India, nearly 80 GW is from utility-scale projects, while rooftop solar contributes around 18 GW. Of that, the C&I segment accounts for 80 percent, and residential just 2 GW." He added, “We’ve only reached 18 GW so far, though the target is 40 GW. Achieving the 2030 goal will require collective efforts from policymakers, developers, integrators, and manufacturers.”
Bharat Singh noted that while there was early enthusiasm for rooftop solar, implementation challenges have slowed progress. “When the target was announced, developers, EPCs, manufacturers, everyone was excited. But progress slowed due to roadblocks,” he said. On policy hurdles, he highlighted the complications of mandating Indian-made inverters under the Make in India initiative. “It’s easier for modules, but we don’t yet have the R&D depth that Chinese inverter makers have built over 15 years,” he said. “Mandating it could slow down the 2030 target.”
Chadha, offered a cautiously optimistic view. “The world is much better than it used to be a year back, thanks to the government and the ecosystem they’ve created,” she said. But she stressed the complexity of scaling rooftop solar. “It’s a huge stakeholder game. You need to bring together different mega nodes and make them shine, it takes time.” She added that supply chain issues are still a concern but are slowly being addressed.
While Yadav highlighted the strong growth in the C&I rooftop segment. “Over the last five years, the rooftop segment has grown at a massive CAGR of 40 percent, with 80 percent of it driven by C&I consumers,” he said. However, he pointed to state-level policy shifts as a threat to progress. “Recent changes, like in Maharashtra where consumers can’t have both in-house and off-site solar, are creating bottlenecks,” he said.
Speaking specifically about the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, Bharat Singh said, “It’s a very good subsidy, what the consumer is getting, and even the government is pushing to get the applications moved to the installers very quickly.” He also flagged a policy requiring data to remain within India, noting that “we have now planned to migrate six to seven years’ data into the Indian server through MNRE guidance.” Chivilkar further criticised inconsistencies in net metering policies across states.
“Each state has its own policy, some allow 500 kW, some 1 MW, some have net metering, others don’t,” he said. Referring to cross-subsidy issues originating in Uttarakhand and spreading to states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, he called the trend “very shocking.” He warned that unpredictable policies, coupled with ALMM and DCR requirements, are slowing adoption even among willing consumers.
Nayak called for a uniform rooftop and open access solar policy across states. “Every state has its own limitations, some with caps, some without. A centralised approach, like the Green Energy Open Access Policy by CERC, could drive consistency,” he said. Nayak also recommended tax exemptions for individual residential solar investments to help bridge the adoption gap. He stressed that misaligned state policies are hindering clean energy growth for industries operating across India.
Chivilkar reiterated that residential net metering is largely streamlined, but the C&I segment still lacks uniformity. “The net metering policy is working well for residential consumers with no state-wise ambiguity,” he said. “But in the C&I space, we still need uniformity to truly unlock growth," he noted.
Chadha added, “From a residential point of view, things are working well, but there are still huge gaps. Residential solar panels cost almost double without offering better technology, so subsidies are not being efficiently utilised.” She emphasised that while central subsidies are now standardised, a similar move on net metering would help scale up both segments.
Further, Dey pointed out the financing gap for manufacturers. “While high-income households benefit from subsidies and quick payback periods, they usually don’t opt for loans or RESCO models. RESCO works better for C&I consumers. However, access to loans remains tough for those with poor credit scores,” he said. He stressed the need for financing models that support both consumers and manufacturers.
Shukla emphasised infrastructure and digital integration. “PM Surya Ghar Yojana is a strong policy foundation, but what’s missing is a unified tech stack, an interface like UPI that connects policy to the people,” she said. “Without that, innovation in residential solar models is stalling. RESCO and OPEX transformed the C&I sector a decade ago, but those models haven’t reached homes yet," he added.
She continued, “I’ve personally seen industries start with small rooftop installations, scale up, and move to round-the-clock renewable plants. For a similar evolution in residential, we need developers to step in, but they’ll only come if there are tangible benefits.”
Jain added nuance on green finance and ESG. “People often club green finance and ESG together, but they’re quite different. Green finance is a growth enabler, it’s business-driven. ESG, on the other hand, sometimes ends up adding cost layers,” he said. Jain warned that MSMEs still struggle to access financing due to weak security packages and poor credit ratings.
The panel concluded that turning India’s rooftop solar vision into reality will require a unified tech infrastructure, vibrant digital marketplaces, and inclusive financing mechanisms. While schemes like PM Surya Ghar Yojana have sparked momentum in residential adoption, true scale will only be achieved through the active involvement of developers, streamlined state-level policies, and robust support for MSMEs.
With timely regulatory reforms and strategic interventions, especially around banking norms, grid integration, and open access, the panelists agreed that India’s 2030 clean energy targets are well within reach.
With strong government backing through initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and the Green Energy Open Access Rules, the country is rapidly expanding its renewable energy footprint across solar, wind, and emerging technologies.
As per recent reports, India has installed over 10 lakh rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY) by July 2025, adding around 1.5 GW to residential solar capacity. Meanwhile, India’s Commercial and Industrial (C&I) rooftop segment stands at ~2.4 GW, with expectations to hit 7.5 GW by the end of 2025.
Reflecting this momentum, Energetica India convened a clean energy REconect Summit-25 in New Delhi, bringing together top policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to explore the next phase of India’s solar energy journey.
In his inaugural address, Hemant Arora, Director, Energetica India, stated, “India has achieved a remarkable milestone in its energy transition journey: reaching 50 percent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of the target.”
He added that the REconnect Summit 2025 is ‘a call to action, ‘On the Way to 500+ GW’, driven by innovation, collaboration, and transformation.”
Further speaking at the event, Arun Goyal, Ex-Secretary, GoI and Former Member, CERC, highlighted the strong progress made in India's renewable energy journey, citing a clear direction and a stable regulatory framework.
He noted that the majority of recent solar, wind, and high-voltage transmission additions have come from the vibrant private sector, thanks to growing policy and regulatory certainty. Goyal emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between industry stakeholders and the private sector to sustain this momentum in clean energy expansion.
The first panel discussion, titled ‘Turning Targets into Transformation: Scaling Rooftop Solar and C&I for India’s 2030 Clean Energy Strategy,’ was moderated by Rashika Gupta, Vice President at Wood Mackenzie. The session featured an expert lineup including Anurag Chivilkar, Director and VP, Business Development at Roofsol Energy; Shubhashis Dey, Co-Founder of Solutions for Sustainable Living (SoSuL) and former NITI Aayog Climate Finance Expert; Arshi Chadha, Founder and CEO of Bridgeway Power; Bharat Singh TN, Director, Sales and Marketing at Ningbo Deye Inverter Technology Co., Ltd.; Anubha Shukla, CCO and Head, BEEM at Husk Power Systems; Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Director at CareEdge Ratings; Kiran Kumar Perka, Business Head at O2 Power; Rajan Saspara, CEO of Anand E-Beam Cables India Ltd.; and Mudit Jain, Head, Strategy and Partnerships at Tata Capital Ltd., Cleantech Finance.
The panel explored the critical role of rooftop and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar in India’s energy transition and emphasised the importance of a supportive policy environment, collaborative financing mechanisms, and active private sector involvement. Chivilkar pointed out the gap in rooftop solar adoption, saying, “Out of the 116 GW of grid-connected solar installed in India, nearly 80 GW is from utility-scale projects, while rooftop solar contributes around 18 GW. Of that, the C&I segment accounts for 80 percent, and residential just 2 GW." He added, “We’ve only reached 18 GW so far, though the target is 40 GW. Achieving the 2030 goal will require collective efforts from policymakers, developers, integrators, and manufacturers.”
Bharat Singh noted that while there was early enthusiasm for rooftop solar, implementation challenges have slowed progress. “When the target was announced, developers, EPCs, manufacturers, everyone was excited. But progress slowed due to roadblocks,” he said. On policy hurdles, he highlighted the complications of mandating Indian-made inverters under the Make in India initiative. “It’s easier for modules, but we don’t yet have the R&D depth that Chinese inverter makers have built over 15 years,” he said. “Mandating it could slow down the 2030 target.”
Chadha, offered a cautiously optimistic view. “The world is much better than it used to be a year back, thanks to the government and the ecosystem they’ve created,” she said. But she stressed the complexity of scaling rooftop solar. “It’s a huge stakeholder game. You need to bring together different mega nodes and make them shine, it takes time.” She added that supply chain issues are still a concern but are slowly being addressed.
While Yadav highlighted the strong growth in the C&I rooftop segment. “Over the last five years, the rooftop segment has grown at a massive CAGR of 40 percent, with 80 percent of it driven by C&I consumers,” he said. However, he pointed to state-level policy shifts as a threat to progress. “Recent changes, like in Maharashtra where consumers can’t have both in-house and off-site solar, are creating bottlenecks,” he said.
Speaking specifically about the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, Bharat Singh said, “It’s a very good subsidy, what the consumer is getting, and even the government is pushing to get the applications moved to the installers very quickly.” He also flagged a policy requiring data to remain within India, noting that “we have now planned to migrate six to seven years’ data into the Indian server through MNRE guidance.” Chivilkar further criticised inconsistencies in net metering policies across states.
“Each state has its own policy, some allow 500 kW, some 1 MW, some have net metering, others don’t,” he said. Referring to cross-subsidy issues originating in Uttarakhand and spreading to states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, he called the trend “very shocking.” He warned that unpredictable policies, coupled with ALMM and DCR requirements, are slowing adoption even among willing consumers.
Nayak called for a uniform rooftop and open access solar policy across states. “Every state has its own limitations, some with caps, some without. A centralised approach, like the Green Energy Open Access Policy by CERC, could drive consistency,” he said. Nayak also recommended tax exemptions for individual residential solar investments to help bridge the adoption gap. He stressed that misaligned state policies are hindering clean energy growth for industries operating across India.
Chivilkar reiterated that residential net metering is largely streamlined, but the C&I segment still lacks uniformity. “The net metering policy is working well for residential consumers with no state-wise ambiguity,” he said. “But in the C&I space, we still need uniformity to truly unlock growth," he noted.
Chadha added, “From a residential point of view, things are working well, but there are still huge gaps. Residential solar panels cost almost double without offering better technology, so subsidies are not being efficiently utilised.” She emphasised that while central subsidies are now standardised, a similar move on net metering would help scale up both segments.
Further, Dey pointed out the financing gap for manufacturers. “While high-income households benefit from subsidies and quick payback periods, they usually don’t opt for loans or RESCO models. RESCO works better for C&I consumers. However, access to loans remains tough for those with poor credit scores,” he said. He stressed the need for financing models that support both consumers and manufacturers.
Shukla emphasised infrastructure and digital integration. “PM Surya Ghar Yojana is a strong policy foundation, but what’s missing is a unified tech stack, an interface like UPI that connects policy to the people,” she said. “Without that, innovation in residential solar models is stalling. RESCO and OPEX transformed the C&I sector a decade ago, but those models haven’t reached homes yet," he added.
She continued, “I’ve personally seen industries start with small rooftop installations, scale up, and move to round-the-clock renewable plants. For a similar evolution in residential, we need developers to step in, but they’ll only come if there are tangible benefits.”
Jain added nuance on green finance and ESG. “People often club green finance and ESG together, but they’re quite different. Green finance is a growth enabler, it’s business-driven. ESG, on the other hand, sometimes ends up adding cost layers,” he said. Jain warned that MSMEs still struggle to access financing due to weak security packages and poor credit ratings.
The panel concluded that turning India’s rooftop solar vision into reality will require a unified tech infrastructure, vibrant digital marketplaces, and inclusive financing mechanisms. While schemes like PM Surya Ghar Yojana have sparked momentum in residential adoption, true scale will only be achieved through the active involvement of developers, streamlined state-level policies, and robust support for MSMEs.
With timely regulatory reforms and strategic interventions, especially around banking norms, grid integration, and open access, the panelists agreed that India’s 2030 clean energy targets are well within reach.
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