Speaking at the South Asia International Forum on Distributed Energy (SAFDE), Ajay Mathur, director general of the International Solar Alliance, said: "This is a clear sign that we are beginning to recognize the value of solar kits. , and also pay attention to off-grid utilization architecture.” The SAFDE Forum was organized by GOGLA and supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India and the Good Energies Foundation.
Gogla's global off-grid solar market report is based on sales data from the association's off-grid solar and energy-saving equipment manufacturers. Of the 5.2 million kits sold in the second half of 2022, 3.2 million were sold in cash and another 2 million were on pay-as-you-go (PAYGo), the report said. Products sold included 3.11 million portable lanterns, 1.08 million solar home systems and 1.01 million multi-light source systems.
Sales of solar home systems (including all 11-watt and higher wattage products) reached 1.08 million units in the second half of 2022, a 69% increase compared to the first half. 90% of all solar home systems sold between July and December 2022 are pay-as-you-go.
The report noted that sales of solar kits in India continued to decline as the product mix of solar kits evolved from traditional off-grid products such as lanterns and plug-and-play kits to weak grid products. Nonetheless, lanterns and other off-grid solar solutions are still used in the Indian market for outdoor use, grid backup power or as primary power ahead of the grid.
Sales of off-grid solar kits in India will be at 4.322 lakh units in the second half of 2022. Solar home systems accounted for less than 1% of total sales.