Rooftop Solar India
India's solar landscape is entering a new phase, with rooftop solar steadily moving from a niche investment to a mainstream energy choice for households. Rising electricity costs, policy support and greater consumer awareness are encouraging homeowners to look beyond immediate savings towards reliability, technology and greater energy independence.
Against this evolving backdrop, Pawan Kumar Garg, Chairman & Joint Managing Director, Fujiyama Power Systems, speaks exclusively on the changing dynamics of India's rooftop solar market, what will drive its next wave of adoption, the growing importance of domestic manufacturing and energy storage, and Fujiyama's vision for the country's evolving energy ecosystem.
Here are the excerpts from the conversation:
1. India's solar story is moving from large-scale projects to individual households. What shift are you seeing in consumer mindset, and what does it mean for the future of rooftop solar?
The traditional mindset viewed solar as a compliance checkbox for factories or an expensive novelty for institutional campuses. Today, the Indian homeowner sees solar as an essential household asset much like a refrigerator or air conditioner that directly protects family disposable income against rising utility tariffs. This transition from passive consumer to active energy generator means rooftop solar is no longer a niche environmental choice; it is becoming a mainstream financial necessity for modern households.
2. The PM Surya Ghar scheme has created significant momentum around residential solar. What, in your view, will determine whether this momentum translates into sustained, mass adoption?
Sustained mass adoption depends heavily on frictionless execution at the grassroots level. While the policy push and subsidies have successfully sparked consumer awareness, the deciding factors will be streamlined digital approvals for net-metering, accessible consumer financing options, and local, responsive after-sales service. Another important factor will be the availability of DCR solar cells. Since DCR-compliant solar panels are mandatory for availing subsidies under the scheme, the current shortage of DCR solar cells can impact the pace of project execution. Upcoming DCR solar cell manufacturing capacity will help address this supply constraint and support faster execution of applications under the scheme. When a homeowner knows that installation is hassle-free, the required equipment is readily available, and maintenance is supported locally, word-of-mouth adoption can accelerate significantly.
3. For a household considering solar today, the decision is no longer just about saving on electricity bills. What are the factors that are increasingly influencing their purchase decisions?
Beyond pure-play financial savings, consumers are prioritizing brand credibility, warranty transparency, and aesthetic integration on their rooftops. Homeowners want the reassurance of Tier-1 quality, robust performance warranties that outlast standard market offerings, and dependable local service teams who can resolve technical queries swiftly. Safety and build quality during extreme weather events have also become top-of-mind criteria.
4. The solar industry is witnessing rapid technological change. Which emerging technologies do you believe could fundamentally alter the economics or user experience of solar in the next few years?
High-efficiency cell architectures such as advanced Mono PERC frameworks utilizing quality P-type wafers combined with intelligent power electronics will continue to squeeze maximum yield out of limited roof footprints. However, the true game-changer for user experience will be the seamless integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Moving from grid-tied generation to stored, 24/7 self-sufficiency alters the economics from daytime bill mitigation to absolute energy security.
5. India wants to reduce its dependence on imported solar components. From an industry perspective, where has India made meaningful progress, and where does the domestic ecosystem still need to catch up?
India has made monumental strides in module assembly and is rapidly scaling domestic cell manufacturing capabilities, supported by strong Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) policies. Where the ecosystem still needs to catch up is further upstream specifically in the deep-manufacturing segments for silicon purification, wafer slicing, and specialized chemical supply chains. Strengthening these foundational rungs is vital to insulate Indian manufacturing from global commodity shocks.
6. With more players entering the solar and power-electronics market, is the industry heading towards a price-driven market, or will reliability, technology and after-sales service become the bigger differentiators?
A race-to-the-bottom pricing model is inherently unsustainable in an industry where infrastructure must perform reliably for 25 years. While initial pricing will always attract attention, long-term market survival belongs to brands that champion quality, safety, and rigorous after-sales support. Consumers and installers are realizing that cheap hardware costs more in the long run if it lacks operational reliability and local technical backup.
7. Fujiyama has been expanding beyond simply increasing manufacturing capacity. What is the larger business opportunity you are building for becoming a solar manufacturer, an energy solutions company, or something broader?
We are firmly transitioning into a comprehensive energy solutions ecosystem. While scaling our manufacturing footprint, including our 1 GW DCR solar cell facility in Dadri, gives us greater production control, our vision extends much wider. We have also announced an additional 1.2 GW solar cell capacity in Ratlam, which is expected to be commissioned by Q1 FY28, further strengthening our capabilities across the solar value chain. We are building for total energy independence, integrating solar generation, advanced inverters, and dedicated energy storage solutions (ESS and BESS lines) under brands like UTL Solar to manage power from generation to storage.
8. If you look beyond the current policy cycle, what do you believe will be the defining change in India's solar industry by 2030 and how is Fujiyama positioning itself ahead of that change?
By 2030, the defining shift will be the evolution of households and commercial enterprises from mere consumers into intelligent, storage-backed micro-grids. Energy storage will become as ubiquitous as solar panels themselves. Fujiyama is positioning itself ahead of this curve by investing heavily in localized R&D, scaling vertically integrated manufacturing from cells to complete storage systems, and expanding our robust distribution and service network across India to deliver reliable power solutions for the next decade and beyond.
India's solar story is clearly moving beyond installation capacity towards a more integrated and consumer-driven energy ecosystem. As rooftop solar becomes mainstream and storage, domestic manufacturing and smarter power-management solutions gain importance, the next phase of growth will be shaped by reliability, accessibility and energy independence.
With its expanding manufacturing footprint, investments across the solar value chain and growing focus on storage and power-electronics solutions, Fujiyama Power Systems is positioning itself to participate in this transition. As India moves towards its 2030 renewable energy ambitions, the larger opportunity lies in building an ecosystem where households and businesses are not just consumers of electricity, but active participants in generating, storing and managing their own energy.
