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Solar energy

Solar energy: installed capacity and the schemes that grow it on rooftops, farms and water, the manufacturing chain from polysilicon to module, cell technologies, and the International Solar Alliance. Prelims has asked about the largest floating solar project in India and about solar water pumps.

UPSC has asked

Prelims 2025: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and rooftop solar
Prelims 2018: solar power tariffs and the Solar Energy Corporation of India

Showing 2 of 5 subjects, those that changed from 16 to 31 July 2026.Show all

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

Prelims and Mains

PM Surya Ghar, launched in February 2024, subsidises rooftop solar for one crore households, with free electricity up to a set monthly use and the surplus sold to the distribution company.

What changed

29 Jul 2026Update
- Since February 2024, 39.7 lakh rooftop systems totalling about 14,181 MW have been installed, from more than 75 lakh applications.
Mains: the package shows blended finance, where a sovereign loan, a concessional loan and a grant are used to mobilise private money.
The Hindu, 29 Jul 2026: India curtailed 8,133 GWh solar power to maintain grid security (opens in a new tab) · PIB, 28 Jul 2026: Over 48 Lakh Households Benefit Under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Since February 2024 (opens in a new tab)
11 Jul 2026New subject
- The World Bank committed $890 million to the programme: an $820 million loan, a $60 million concessional loan from the Clean Technology Fund and a $10 million grant, and it expects to draw in $4.2 billion of private lending.
The Hindu, 11 Jul 2026: World Bank commits $890 mn for solar rooftops in India (opens in a new tab)

Solar cell and module manufacturing

Prelims and Mains

The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers requires government supported projects to buy listed equipment. List I covers modules and List II covers cells.

What changed

24 Jul 2026New subject
- Rules from 1 June 2026 require domestic cells, but India has module capacity of about 200 GW against cell capacity of 27 GW on paper, and module makers wait six to eight months for cells. Nearly a third of small module makers have halted output.
- India relies on China for about 95 per cent of its cell imports.
- The exemption from List II has been extended to 31 December 2026 only for net metering and open access projects.
The Hindu, 24 Jul 2026: India's solar push idles factories unable to shake reliance on China (opens in a new tab) · PIB, 18 Jul 2026: Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Extends Limited Exemption from ALMM List-II for Net-Metering and Open Access RE Projects till 31st December 2026 (opens in a new tab)