Delhi Offers Up to 3 kW Rooftop Solar at Zero Upfront Cost Under New Solar Energy Policy
The Delhi government has revised its Solar Energy Policy to make rooftop solar more accessible to residential consumers, offering eligible households rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW at zero upfront cost. The initiative is targeted at households with average monthly electricity consumption of up to 400 units and is designed to accelerate residential solar adoption across the national capital.
Under the revised policy, the government aims to cover around 2.30 lakh households and add 500 MW of rooftop solar capacity by March 2027. The initiative is intended to address major barriers to rooftop solar adoption, particularly the initial investment required for installation, delays in receiving incentives and concerns around system maintenance.
Eligible households can receive a 3 kW rooftop solar system supported by central and Delhi government subsidies. The central subsidy for a 3 kW residential system is ₹78,000, while the Delhi government will provide an equivalent ₹78,000 capital subsidy. The remaining cost gap is also being supported upfront by the Delhi government under the revised mechanism. This takes the potential combined subsidy support to ₹1.56 lakh.
The policy also includes five years of free operation and maintenance support through selected vendors. This is expected to reduce concerns among residential consumers regarding the long-term upkeep and performance of rooftop solar installations. Eligible consumers will also benefit from net metering, allowing surplus electricity generated by their systems to be exported to the grid.
The government has further moved to simplify the installation process. According to the announcement, the net-metering process has been reduced from up to 75 days to 25 days, while application and registration charges for residential rooftop solar systems up to 10 kW have been waived.
The programme will be implemented through a utility-led aggregation model, with Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited responsible for implementation through competitive bidding. The model is intended to improve cost competitiveness, installation quality and consumer support while strengthening Delhi’s rooftop solar ecosystem.
The revised policy marks a major push towards distributed renewable energy in Delhi and complements the objectives of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. With the government targeting 500 MW of additional rooftop capacity by March 2027, the initiative could significantly increase household participation in solar power across the capital.
