Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore, the cleanest city of the country which is also known for its progressive sustainability initiatives, has created history by achieving a remarkable milestone of 100 megawatts (MW) solar power generation.
The accomplishment marks a major step in the city’s ambitious plan to transition into a “Solar City” with a goal of producing 300 MW of solar energy by mid of 2027. Indore has already achieved 15-20 per cent of its total energy consumption through solar power.
The initiative to harness solar energy is part of a broader strategy to meet around 50 per cent of Indore’s daily electricity consumption through renewable sources by May 2027. At present, Indore’s daily electricity usage stands around 600 MW and the plan is to shift 300 MW of the demand to solar energy within the next two-and-a-half year.
“The entire city has taken its consumption of solar energy to 100 MW in last one year which is a record of its kind. Besides, the city has saved 1.5 crore units of (non-renewable) electricity in last two months which is also a world record. I thank residents of Indore for their dedication to renewable energy and sustainability,” Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said in a video message to Indoreans on Wednesday.
On May 4, 2023, Bhargava had announced plans to launch various initiatives to meet the ambitious solar targets. The fiscal budgets had allocated funds to support the transition starting with installing solar panels on government buildings, residential and commercial establishments.
Rapid Growth in Rooftop Solar Adoption
The latest figures from the Madhya Pradesh West Zone Electricity Distribution Company sheds light on the increasing adoption of rooftop solar panels by Indoreans. The cumulative progress as of March 18, 2025, shows a total installed solar capacity of 99,348.61 kW from 13,494 connections, nearing the 100 MW milestone.
Among different zones, Indore East led the expansion with 20,558.52 kW, followed by Indore North at 18,929.75 kW and Indore South at 18,209.5 kW. The city’s industrial sector also played a crucial role, contributing 18,797.93 kW to the total capacity.
Community Engagement and Policy Support
The success of Indore’s solar initiatives is largely attributed to proactive community participation and policy support. More than 4,000 new consumers transitioned to solar energy in just five months of 2024. Financial institutions are being encouraged to provide loans for solar installations making renewable energy more accessible.
