Lucknow, 18 July: Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the second-largest state in India for residential rooftop solar installationsunder the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, surpassing Maharashtra with more than 674,000 rooftop solar systemsinstalled across households. The achievement reflects the state’s rapid progress in clean energy adoption, energy self-reliance and green economic growth.
According to the state government, 674,393 households have installed rooftop solar systems under the scheme, placing Uttar Pradesh behind only Gujarat, which has recorded 749,839 installations. Maharashtra now ranks third with 673,717 installations.
Officials attribute the state’s success to mission-mode implementation, continuous monitoring and close coordination among government departments. Efforts to simplify beneficiary enrolment, facilitate bank financing, expedite DISCOM inspections and streamline subsidy disbursement have significantly accelerated rooftop solar adoption across the state.
Over 2.28 GW of Rooftop Solar Capacity Installed
According to UPNEDA Director Ravinder Singh, Uttar Pradesh has installed approximately 2,283.8 MW (2.28 GW) of residential rooftop solar capacity. The expansion is enabling millions of households to generate clean electricity, reduce dependence on conventional power and significantly lower their electricity bills.
The government estimates that families enrolled under the scheme collectively receive nearly ₹6.5 crore worth of free solar electricity every day. Consumers can also export surplus electricity to the grid through net metering, creating an additional source of income.
Scheme Creates More Than 85,000 Jobs
The rapid growth of rooftop solar has also strengthened Uttar Pradesh’s renewable energy economy. More than 7,000 companies and business establishments are currently engaged in the state’s solar ecosystem, generating over 85,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Employment opportunities have expanded across solar panel installation, engineering, system design, electrical works, net metering, logistics, maintenance, marketing and project management, benefiting engineers, technicians, electricians and small entrepreneurs.
Driving Investment and Industrial Growth
Growing demand for rooftop solar has encouraged investments in solar manufacturing and allied industries. The state has witnessed the establishment of new manufacturing units for solar modules and related equipment, while demand has increased for inverters, mounting structures, cables, metering devices, warehousing and transportation services, providing a boost to MSMEs and industrial development.
Saving Land While Reducing Carbon Emissions
One of the key advantages of rooftop solar is that it generates electricity without requiring additional land. By utilizing existing rooftops, the state estimates that more than 9,000 acres of land have been conserved compared to an equivalent ground-mounted solar installation.
The installed 2.28 GW rooftop solar capacity is expected to generate nearly 3.8 billion units of clean electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 2.7 million tonnes every year. Environmental experts estimate that this reduction is equivalent to the annual carbon absorption capacity of more than 120 million mature trees.
The state government said the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is helping Uttar Pradesh advance towards energy independence while supporting India’s climate commitments and net-zero goals. By combining clean energy generation with employment creation, industrial investment and environmental conservation, the programme is positioning the state as one of the country’s leading drivers of India’s solar transition.
Author
About the Author
