Bhubaneswar, September 30: Odisha has crossed a significant milestone in its rooftop solar journey, with 1 lakh rooftop solar installations completed under the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) approach within a single year. The achievement has contributed to the State’s broader rooftop solar growth, with total rooftop solar installations in Odisha now surpassing 2 lakh under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
From around 15,000 rooftop solar installations a year ago, Odisha has rapidly expanded its adoption, demonstrating how financial support, focused consumer outreach, effective implementation and active participation from distribution companies can help take rooftop solar to households at scale.
Launched by the Government of India in February 2024, PM Surya Ghar aims to enable rooftop solar for one crore households across the country. Eligible households in the State can receive combined central and state assistance of up to Rs 1.38 lakh.
The achievement of 1 lakh ULA installations within one year is particularly significant as the ULA approach takes rooftop solar beyond individual household installations and enables adoption at the community level.
Tata Power led Odisha discoms have played an active role in driving awareness and adoption of PM Surya Ghar.
The impact of the ULA approach is also visible at the community level. In Matikhala village in Ganjam district, around 200 eligible households were brought under rooftop solar through the PM Surya Ghar ULA approach, creating a fully solarised village.
For India’s broader rooftop solar ambitions, Odisha’s experience highlights the importance of combining financial incentives with sustained consumer awareness, local participation and active engagement by distribution utilities. The ULA approach, in particular, demonstrates how a community-oriented model can help take rooftop solar beyond individual adopters and into entire neighbourhoods and villages.
