With Tamil Nadu government announcing an additional incentive of ₹22,000 for domestic consumers to instal a solar rooftop, the sun is expected to shine brighter in the state.

Under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yogna, a maximum subsidy of ₹78,000 for solar rooftop capacity of above 3kW is already being given. Combining the two incentives, a beneficiary can receive a total benefit of ₹ 1 lakh.

While those working to promote the renewable energy sector are happy with the announcement made during the Tamil Nadu Budget session held recently and are waiting for the modalities in the scheme to be made clearer, they weigh in with their suggestions.

P. Ashok Kumar, founder-president of Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Developers Association (TNSEDA), has sent a letter to the State Government to modify the scheme in such a way that energy storage devices such as solar batteries and inverters get a push.

“Instead of giving a direct benefit of ₹22,000, the State Government should insist consumers use energy storage devices. My suggestion is to add energy storage to the incentive and train people to use solar power 24×7 even in peak hours to reduce the dependence on Tamil Nadu Electricity Board,” says Ashok.

The current practice in Tamil Nadu is a consumer’s excess solar power is sent to the grid, letting him/her use that credit later instead of paying cash called Net Metering.

TNSEDA representation holds significance as renewable energy alone is not enough to meet growing energy needs. Batteries are said to bolster grid stability and performance, allowing renewables to better integrate into the electrical grid. Energy storage devices will allow the energy generated during peak times to be used at a later time.

Ashok Kumar says such a nudge by the government will reduce the loss incurred by TNEB. “The cost of purchasing peak hour power is high, so the extra incentive should nudge consumers to use solar during peak hours,” he says.

Many states including those leading in solar rooftop adoption like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat offer subsidy.

More awareness

Jaideep Saraswat, Associate Director – Clean Power, Electric Mobility and Emerging Technologies, Vasudha Foundation, a non-profit think tank working to advance clean energy and climate solutions, says their experience with accelerating PM Surya Ghar Yogna shows that a subsidy translates into real adoption only when all the pieces fit well.

“This begins with raising consumer awareness on rooftop solar systems and informing consumers about the state subsidy, which improves the payback period for them. Concurrently, vendor capacity must be built to ensure optimised system deployment,” says Jaideep. “Finally, the capacity of all stakeholders needs to be built and everyone must be aligned on increasing rooftop deployment.”

Other suggestions include: speed up approval process and set targets for banks and financial institutions so that more household are able to avail loan for installing solar systems.

An experience hub

When it comes to solar energy, experiencing is believing. At least that is the idea retailers and manufacturers have started to promote, thereby nudging homeowners to transition to green energy. From first-hand exposure to solar solutions at experience centres to deploying staff at electronic stores to clarifying nagging doubts, the reasons to invest in solar energy seem to be slowly increasing for consumers.

In June, VeSat Solar Energy Systems opened a new solar experience centre at Shastri Nagar in Adyar. The building is powered entirely by solar energy including its lights, fans and three air conditioners, computers and television.

Those walking into the showroom get to see how the power of the sun can be harnessed on a range of products from water heaters to power systems.

L.R. Venkatesh, managing director, VeSat Solar, says giving prospective buyers a walk-through is not just an easy way to market a product but boosts the trust and confidence in solar energy.

“Solar is not an off the shelf product. Once you give people the experience, we visit the site, study their requirement and design it accordingly,” says Venkatesh.

Chennai-based Evolve Energy Group and Freyr Energy are among others that are fast expanding their experience centres.

Solar section in consumer outlets

Increasingly consumer durable outlets have expanded the scope of items they retail by including solar.

The 10 plus outlets of Darling Retail in Chennai, a multi-brand consumer durable chain, has staff trained to give shoppers a demo on how solar technology works. Under Darling Solar Solutions, the enterprise offers a range of services. Once a customers evinces interest, the technical team does a site inspection to study the roof size, structure, shading and energy needs. From loan application process to applying for net meter, they even support a buyer with annual maintenance.

Likewise, Ratna Fan House also offers a variety of services and has completed more than 200 solar rooftop installations so far.

Published – August 17, 2026 10:30 am IST

Former Executive Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited Kedar Lele. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Castrol India Limited, a lubricant manufacturer, has announced the appointment of Kedar Lele as its new Managing Director, effective November 1, 2024.

Mr. Lele joins the company after a two-decade-long career at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), where he last served as the Executive Director responsible for Sales & Customer Development, South Asia.

Rakesh Makhija, Chairman of Castrol India Limited, said, “His vast experience in driving growth and leading large teams in complex markets makes him an outstanding choice to lead Castrol India.”

Kedar Lele, Managing Director of Castrol India Limited, said, “A key priority for me will be to continue to expand our portfolio coupled with effective deployment models to drive business growth.”

“My experience of working with different categories and geographies has prepared me well to build winning teams while cultivating a spirit of innovation and discipline of execution excellence that aligns with Castrol’s ambitious growth plans,” he added.

To ensure a seamless leadership transition, Mr. Lele has been working closely with the outgoing Managing Director, Sandeep Sangwan, since September 1, 2024. This period of changeover has allowed him to gain strategic insights into the company’s operations and foster strong relationships with key stakeholders, the company said.

As part of the leadership shift, Mr. Sangwan will assume the role of Global Chief Marketing Officer at Castrol headquarters in London from Friday (November 1, 2024).