Solar for housing societies and RWAs

What the subsidy covers

Under PM Surya Ghar, a group housing society or resident welfare association can claim ₹18,000 per kW for a rooftop system that powers common facilities, including EV charging, up to 500 kW. The limit is set at up to 3 kW per house, and it includes any systems residents have installed individually in the same society.

As with homes, the subsidy is paid after installation and inspection, not deducted from the invoice. The society pays the full cost first.

Loads a society system typically runs

• Lifts
• Water pumps and pressure boosters
• Corridor, stairwell, basement and street lighting
• Clubhouse and gym
• EV charging points in the parking

Most of these run in daylight hours as well as at night. A net-metered system sends daytime surplus to the grid and draws it back at night on the same connection.

What we need to size it

1. Twelve months of common-area bills, to see how use changes between summer and winter.
2. The sanctioned load of the common-area connection. The system cannot exceed it.
3. Terrace details: usable area, shading from water tanks and lift rooms, and the structure, so the mounting can be designed safely.
4. The number of houses, which sets the subsidy limit.

Before you decide

Get the decision recorded properly by the society or RWA, and appoint one person to handle the portal. Societies that stall usually do so on paperwork, not on the installation.