Odisha crosses 1 lakh ULA rooftop solar installations in a year; total installations surpass 2 lakh

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

Odisha has emerged as a fast-growing market for household rooftop solar, crossing 1 lakh installations under the ULA approach within a year and taking the state’s total rooftop solar installations beyond 2 lakh under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. The milestone reflects a sharp acceleration in residential solar adoption, supported by financial incentives, consumer outreach, community-level mobilisation and active participation by distribution companies.

The pace of adoption marks a significant shift in Odisha’s rooftop solar landscape. From around 15,000 rooftop solar installations a year ago, the state has rapidly expanded its household solar base, highlighting the impact of a combination of financial support, focused consumer engagement, streamlined implementation and last-mile execution.

Launched by the Government of India in February 2024, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to enable rooftop solar for one crore households across the country. Central financial assistance has helped lower the upfront cost of installation, while state-level support in Odisha has further strengthened the proposition for consumers. Eligible households in the state can receive combined central and state assistance of up to ₹1.38 lakh.

The achievement of 1 lakh ULA installations in a single year is particularly significant because the ULA approach takes rooftop solar beyond individual household adoption and promotes participation at the community level. By bringing multiple eligible households within a locality or village into the programme, the model can help build awareness, improve visibility and strengthen consumer confidence in rooftop solar.

Affordability, however, is only one element of the adoption equation. Awareness, ease of access, consumer confidence and effective last-mile implementation are equally important in converting policy support into actual installations.

Tata Power-led Odisha discoms have played an active role in driving awareness and adoption of PM Surya Ghar. In addition to processing applications and facilitating grid connections, the distribution companies have undertaken awareness camps, outreach programmes and field-level engagement to help consumers understand the scheme, available subsidies, eligibility criteria and the installation process.

The Solar Rath initiative is one example of this consumer-focused approach. During Rath Yatra, the discoms took the rooftop solar message directly to citizens, using one of Odisha’s most widely followed public occasions to create awareness about PM Surya Ghar and make information about the scheme more accessible.

The approach reflects an evolving role for distribution utilities—from simply facilitating rooftop solar connections to actively helping consumers understand, access and adopt distributed solar energy.

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.

Community-level initiatives such as these can help make rooftop solar more visible and familiar to consumers. As households see neighbouring families adopting the technology, awareness of its benefits, installation process and potential savings can grow, creating opportunities for adoption to expand from individual households to wider community participation.

Odisha’s rapid growth has been supported by a coordinated ecosystem involving the Central and state governments, regulatory institutions, district administrations, distribution companies and industry stakeholders. The national scheme has provided the overarching framework and financial support, while state-level incentives and an enabling policy environment have strengthened the proposition for consumers. District administrations and local institutions have helped take the programme into communities, while Tata Power-led distribution companies have supported consumer awareness and last-mile mobilisation.

Crossing the 1 lakh ULA installation milestone within a year, alongside more than 2 lakh total rooftop solar installations in the state, underscores the pace at which residential solar adoption is expanding in Odisha.

For India’s broader rooftop solar ambitions, Odisha’s experience highlights the importance of combining financial incentives with sustained consumer awareness, community participation and active engagement by distribution utilities. The ULA approach, in particular, demonstrates how a community-oriented model can help extend rooftop solar beyond individual adopters to neighbourhoods and villages.

Odisha’s rooftop solar journey illustrates how coordinated implementation, consumer outreach and community-led adoption can help translate policy support into large-scale household deployment of clean energy.