Industry Growth Highlights – July 2026
The July 2026 edition of the IST Monthly Solar Report covers a pivotal mid-year milestone. India has recorded
its highest-ever single-month solar addition of 12,080 MW in July 2026, surpassing the previous record of
10,840 MW set in April 2026. The country's cumulative solar capacity crossed 215 GW, and India is now firmly
on track to achieve its 280 GW solar target by 2030 with four years to spare. This special edition includes a Q2
2026 retrospective, state-wise net metering policy tracker, expert industry commentary, and the first
comprehensive business trade registration guide for clean energy entrepreneurs.
📋 Report at a Glance:
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Cover | KPI tiles: 12,080 MW record, H1 cumulative, YoY growth, tender pipeline |
| S1 – About Edition | India crosses 215 GW; Q2 2026 retrospective; ₹1.88/kWh record tariff |
| S2 – Installation Data | Segment bar chart + pie chart + Q2 monthly comparison bar chart |
| S3 – State Analysis | 12-state horizontal bar chart + detailed table + H1 trend line graph |
| S5 – Policy Updates | 10 central government policy actions including CERC NM amendment, FAME III, BESS mandate |
| S6 – Net Metering Tracker | State-wise NM limit bar chart + 20-state policy table (limit, credit rate, 1:1 status) |
| S7 – Tenders | ₹8,400 Cr live tenders – 13 major tenders including 5,000 MW SECI mega-auction |
| S8 – PMSGMVY | 7-step installer startup guide, income projections, 78 lakh beneficiary context |
| S9 – Commercial Solar | 100 kW to 5 MW comparison with RESCO IRR & payback |
| S10 – PM KUSUM | State tracker with opportunity stars, revised 7% farmer cost, Component B/C guide |
| S11 – Street Light | GeM rates, product specs, 6-step government order winning guide |
| S12 – Society Solar | Group net metering status by state, RESCO model, 8-state GNM tracker |
| S13 – Expert Opinions | 8 expert quotes: NSEFI CEO, Bridge to India, Greenko, Amplus, PNB, Sanjib Roy (IST) |
| S14 – Business Registration | 5-step complete guide: structure → GST → ECL → MNRE → GeM → bank; business-wise checklist |
| S15 – India vs Global | Donut chart + 10-parameter comparison table (India, China, USA, EU) |
| S16 – Entrepreneur Index | Bar chart + methodology; Gujarat 94, Rajasthan 91, WB/Bihar flagged as high-growth |
| S17 – Acknowledgements | Sanjib Roy credited, data sources, disclaimer, copyright |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. About This Edition & Industry Growth Highlights 3
2. Solar Installation Data – July 2026 & Q2 2026 Analysis 4
3. State-wise Solar Analysis – Charts & Tables 6
4. H1 2026 Trend – January to July 8
5. Government Policy Updates – Up to July 2026 9
6. State-wise Net Metering Policy Update – July 2026 11
7. Tender Updates – July 2026 13
8. Rooftop Solar Business – PMSGMVY Scheme 14
9. Commercial Solar Power Plant Business 16
10. Solar Water Pump – PM KUSUM Scheme 17
11. Solar Street Light Business 19
12. Solar Power for Housing Societies 20
13. Solar Industry Expert Opinions – July 2026 22
14. Business & Trade Registration Guide 24
15. India vs Global Solar Market Comparison 27
16. Entrepreneur Opportunity Index by State 28
17. Acknowledgements & Credits 29
This report is published monthly by IST as a knowledge resource for solar entrepreneurs, startups, and industry professionals across
India. Data sourced from MNRE, SECI, CEA, state DISCOMs, and IST internal research.