Distributed Solar Energy Potential Mapping for Tamil Nadu
Distributed solar energy presents a significant opportunity to bridge the gap between rising electricity demand and Tamil Nadu’s clean energy transition goals . Tamil Nadu’s total solar distributed energy resources (DER) potential is estimated at 129,166 MW, which includes multiple solar photovoltaics (PV) applications such as rooftop solar (RTS), urban PV , building integrated PV , floating PV , canal top solar PV , rail PV and road integrated PV systems . Of this, RTS alone accounts for 60,479 MW. However, as of April 2025, only 0.78% of the total DER potential and 1.66% of the RTS potential had been realised, highlighting a major implementation gap. The Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy 2019 set a target of 9,000 MW of installed solar capacity by 2023, with 3,600 MW designated for the consumer category, including RTS and other distributed systems. As of April 2025, RTS deployment stands at 1,003.3...