India Adds 2.8 GW Rooftop Solar in H1 2025
India added 2.8 GW of rooftop solar capacity in the first half of 2025, marking a 158 per cent year-on-year growth, according to Mercom India’s Q2 2025 India Rooftop Solar Market Report. In Q2 alone, installations stood at 1,618 MW, up 33 per cent from 1,216.6 MW in Q1 2025, and 121 per cent higher than Q2 2024’s 731 MW.
This surge was largely due to the clearing of delayed registrations under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, faster commissioning of projects, and updates to the programme’s digital portal.
Beginning 1 September 2025, all solar tenders in India will require developers to use modules compliant with the ALMM List – II. While this move aims to bolster domestic manufacturing, industry players warn of uneven transitions, cost hikes, and possible execution delays.
At the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2025, concerns were raised over land aggregation, transmission bottlenecks, and policy execution delays. With demand and auctions no longer the bottleneck, the challenge now lies in getting projects built and grid-connected.
State-Level and Corporate Developments
- Maharashtra: The state’s power regulator approved 500 MW of additional pumped hydro storage procurement by MSEDCL from Torrent Power, under an exceptional clause.
- Jharkhand: The state issued draft tariff regulations for 2025–2031 aimed at enhancing distribution efficiency, encouraging competition, and ensuring reliable supply.
- Maharashtra (Jalna): RECPDCL has invited bids for a 400/132 kV substation in Jalna to support 1–2 GW of regional renewable potential. The project will be awarded on a build-own-operate-transfer model.
Company Initiatives and Investments
- Offgrid Energy Labs raised USD 15 million in Series A funding led by Archean Chemical Industries. The funds will support a 10 MWh demo facility in the UK, ZincGel commercialisation, and blueprinting a giga-factory.
- AMPIN Energy Transition commissioned a 50 MW open access solar project in Chhattisgarh. The plant will deliver 78.21 million units of clean energy annually to Texmaco Rail, reducing grid dependence by over 80 per cent and cutting power costs by 30–40 per cent.
- Saatvik Green Energy secured an order from MSEDCL to install 1,500 solar water pumps under the Magel Tyala Saur Krishi Pump Yojana. The project includes five-year warranties and remote monitoring systems.
- Websol Energy Systems announced a Rs 30 billion (~USD 340.7 million) expansion plan to add 4 GW solar cell and 4 GW module capacity in two phases by June 2028, leveraging TOPCon technology.
- GH2 Solar, in a joint venture with Advanced Hydrogen Energy Solutions of South Korea, will set up a green hydrogen electrolyzer facility in Gwalior. Backed by a PLI of Rs 1.57 billion (~USD 17.89 million), the unit’s initial capacity will be 105 MW.
Global Trade Impact
- The U.S. Court of International Trade has overturned the Biden administration’s two-year pause on anti-dumping duties for solar imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, which may impact global solar module prices and availability.
India’s renewable energy sector continues to show strong momentum, but execution bottlenecks, evolving regulatory frameworks, and supply chain uncertainties remain central challenges for sustained growth.