AHMEDABAD: Gujarat is stepping up its clean-energy push by turning government rooftops into power-generating assets, with solar installations across 6,014 government buildings already taking cumulative capacity to 95 MW.
The state is now preparing for its biggest expansion yet, targeting 15,000 additional government buildings and another 65 MW of rooftop solar capacity during 2026-27.
The expansion comes as Gujarat seeks to reduce its dependence on conventional electricity, cut government power bills and curb pollution linked to conventional power generation.
The rooftop solar programme, implemented by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) under the Climate Change Department since 2011-12, gained further momentum during 2025-26. During the year, solar systems were installed on 1,377 government buildings, adding 17.1 MW of renewable-energy capacity. As a result, the cumulative number of government buildings covered under the programme reached 6,014 by March 2026, while the total installed capacity rose to 95 MW, Climate Change Minister Arjun Modhwadia said.
Building on that progress, the Gujarat government has set an ambitious target for the current financial year. Modhwadia said the state plans to install rooftop solar systems on 15,000 more government buildings, with the expansion expected to add approximately 65 MW of additional solar capacity.
“This year marks the biggest expansion of the rooftop solar programme for government buildings. We have set a target of covering 15,000 buildings, which is expected to add around 65 MW of solar capacity. The move will further strengthen renewable-energy use across government infrastructure and accelerate the shift towards cleaner power,” Modhwadia said.
The state government has also earmarked Rs 314 crore for the programme in 2026-27, underlining the scale of the planned expansion. Of this, Rs 278 crore has been allocated for general government buildings, while Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for buildings under the Social Justice and Empowerment Department and Rs 33 crore for buildings managed by the Tribal Development Department, GEDA Director Dharmendra Patel said.
Under the scheme, the Climate Change Department provides 100% capital-cost support from its annual budget allocation for installing rooftop solar systems on buildings under the Gujarat government's jurisdiction. The government says the programme is not merely about adding renewable-energy capacity but also about reducing the environmental and financial burden of conventional electricity consumption.
Pravin Mali, Minister of State for Climate Change, said the rooftop installations are expected to lower conventional electricity consumption and reduce expenditure incurred by government offices. At the same time, greater use of solar power could help reduce pollution associated with conventional power generation.
The initiative is also aligned with the broader push to expand solar generation by converting otherwise unused government rooftops into decentralised power-generation assets.
Meanwhile, Gujarat has added a digital layer to its renewable-energy programme with the launch of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-based Renewable Energy Monitoring System this year. The system integrates smart meters, sensors and IoT gateways, which are connected through technologies including GPRS, 4G and Ethernet.
According to Modhwadia, the system captures renewable-energy performance data at 15-minute intervals, generating up to 96 readings a day, while also providing automated remote alerts. The monitoring platform is designed to give authorities a real-time view of renewable-energy installations, enabling them to track performance, identify abnormalities and respond to operational issues more quickly.
“The system brings renewable-energy installations under a common digital monitoring framework. By integrating smart meters, sensors and communication gateways, it provides regular performance data and automated alerts, allowing authorities to remotely track generation and identify issues at the installation level,” Modhwadia said.
The monitoring interface currently covers significant renewable-energy capacities, including 142.5 MW of solar generation and 68.3 MW of wind generation, according to the state government.
According to the latest data cited from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Gujarat has emerged as the country’s leading state in installed renewable-energy capacity, with 47,178 MW.
With solar and wind continuing to form the backbone of the state's renewable-energy mix, the government is now seeking to deepen clean-energy adoption not only through large-scale projects but also by expanding distributed generation across public infrastructure.
