Rooftop solar for poverty alleviation

Currently, the rooftop-subsidy programmes run by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy require consumers to bear about 60 per cent of the costs

A detailed white paper prepared by The Infravision Foundation proposes a Central government-sponsored scheme that fundamentally looks at rooftop solar photovoltaics (RTPV) as the next trailblazing income-enhancing opportunity, targeted largely at those at the bottom of the pyramid, and largely in rural areas. It has the potential to be a hugely impactful intervention to aid poverty alleviation by converting free sunlight falling on rooftops and courtyards into income for households. For instance, in China, RTPV is one of the identified 10 initiatives rolled out by the government to lift rural households out of poverty. Last year, 100 per cent solarisation