Gujarat to Add Rooftop Solar Across 15,000 More Government Buildings

The proposed expansion is expected to add around 65 MW of rooftop solar capacity and take the total capacity installed under the state government's government-building programme beyond 160 MW.

The announcement follows the installation of grid-connected rooftop solar systems at 6,014 government buildings across Gujarat by March 2026, with a combined capacity of 95 MW.

The programme has been implemented by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) under the state Climate Change Department since 2011-12. It is intended to increase the use of renewable energy in government infrastructure while lowering expenditure on conventional electricity.

Climate Change Minister Arjun Modhwadia said 1,377 government buildings received rooftop solar systems during 2025-26, adding 17.1 MW of renewable energy capacity. By March this year, the cumulative number of buildings covered by the initiative had reached 6,014.

For 2026-27, the state has allocated Rs 314 crore for the programme. Of this amount, Rs 278 crore has been earmarked for general government buildings, Rs 3 crore for buildings under the Social Justice and Empowerment Department and Rs 33 crore for buildings administered by the Tribal Development Department.

The government has described the current financial year as the largest expansion of the programme so far, with the proposed installation of rooftop systems across another 15,000 government buildings.

The scheme covers buildings under the state government's jurisdiction, with the Climate Change Department providing 100 per cent financial support towards the capital cost from its annual budget allocation.

The government expects the installations to reduce the use of conventional electricity and lower power bills for government offices. It has also cited reduced pollution associated with conventional power generation as an environmental benefit.

Minister of State for Climate Change Pravin Mali said the rooftop installations are expected to deliver both economic and environmental gains by cutting conventional electricity consumption and reducing the electricity expenditure of government offices.

Gujarat has also introduced an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-based Renewable Energy Monitoring System to remotely track renewable energy installations located on government buildings.

The monitoring platform combines smart meters, sensors and IoT gateways using GPRS, 4G and Ethernet connectivity. According to Modhwadia, the system records performance data every 15 minutes, generating as many as 96 readings each day, while also providing automated alerts when operational issues are detected.

The platform currently monitors renewable energy installations representing 142.5 MW of solar capacity and 68.3 MW of wind capacity, the minister said.

The state government said the monitoring system will allow authorities to track generation performance remotely and identify problems at renewable energy installations more quickly.

According to the latest data from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Gujarat has a total installed renewable energy capacity of 47,178 MW. The state has surpassed Rajasthan to become the country's largest state in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, with solar and wind power accounting for a substantial portion of its renewable energy generation base.