Abstract: This bibliographical survey presents a comprehensive review of rooftop solar installations in Himachal Pradesh up to 2025, analysing deployment data, policy incentives, regulatory reforms, and sectoral challenges. Himachal Pradesh, renowned for hydropower, is strategically shifting toward distributed solar generation, buoyed by state and central government initiatives such as the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme and Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy 2021. By mid-2025, approximately 4,000 rooftop installations, totalling 14 MW, mark significant progress, although overall capacity remains modest at under 1 MW commissioned according to official sources. Substantial financial incentive including central and state subsidies totalling up to ₹85,800 per system have accelerated adoption across residential, institutional, and government buildings, notably in Shimla, Mandi, and Una. Regulatory reforms in 2024-25 have streamlined approval processes, introduced net metering, and clarified tariff and subsidy delivery mechanisms. Despite technical feasibility established by several institutional success stories, widespread adoption faces hurdles: procedural delays, grid-connection bottlenecks, suboptimal net metering frameworks, and administrative inefficiencies persist. Geographic constraints such as hilly terrain and variable solar irradiation complicate rooftop suitability and maintenance. This paper synthesizes academic recommendations advocating for high-resolution remote sensing methods to better target optimal installation sites in urban centers. Recent regulatory improvements signal optimism, but the paper posits that acceleration toward policy targets will require enhanced vendor accountability, greater data-driven outreach, flexible energy credit mechanisms, and robust execution of decentralized programs. Concluding, the survey highlights that while Himachal Pradesh’s rooftop solar sector demonstrates technical promise and progressive policy support, major barriers must be addressed to scale adoption for meaningful contributions to India’s renewable energy goals by 2030. The findings of this work shall serve as a valuable resource for stakeholders, providing a strategic outlook for sustainable deployment in mountainous regions.

Keywords: Rooftop solar, Renewable energy policy, Net metering, Regulatory framework, Solar reforms

Downloads: | DOI: 10.17148/IJIREEICE.2025.131127