Govt to enlist solar service providers to expand renewable energy
Providers will be selected by district and geographical area to offer technical, investment and maintenance services.
The government is moving to enlist eligible service providers on a district and geographical-area basis to expand rooftop solar across the country and create a nationwide renewable energy service network.
The service providers will offer technical assistance, investment and business packages, customer services, and operation and maintenance facilities for rooftop solar and other renewable energy technologies at the local level.
The Power Division today (31 August) published notification in this regard seeking applications for enlistment of service providers, according to a press release issued by the Power Division.
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The initiative is part of the government's efforts to implement the targets set under the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy Paper 2026-2030.
Under the new framework, local businesses, small and medium entrepreneurs, young people, women entrepreneurs and technology-based companies will get opportunities to enter the renewable energy sector.
Local firms will also be able to partner with experienced national-level companies and investors to strengthen their technical, financial and business capabilities.
The government aims to prevent the rooftop solar market from remaining concentrated among a handful of large companies or in major cities and instead expand the sector across all regions of the country.
The initiative is also expected to encourage service providers to develop affordable and innovative investment and service packages for customers while promoting healthy competition in the sector.
The Power Division notification said, the government is working to introduce or expand incentives, tax and duty benefits, easy and low-interest financing, and startup financing opportunities for new and innovative entrepreneurs to encourage investment in rooftop solar.
Particular emphasis is being placed on bringing customers and entrepreneurs from rural and relatively remote areas into the initiative.
Under the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy Paper 2026-2030, the government has set a target of raising the share of renewable energy in the country's electricity generation to 20% by 2030. Of this, 5,500MW is planned to come from rooftop solar.
The government expects the initiative to help turn rooftop solar into not only an important component of the country's energy transition but also a new avenue for small and medium businesses, local investment, skills development and employment.
