In a recent interview with Renewable Watch, Jai, Chief Executive Officer, Galo Solar, discussed the company’s strategy to accelerate rooftop solar adoption across India through a fully integrated, end-to-end solutions model. He highlighted Galo Solar’s in-house manufacturing capabilities, strong after-sales and warranty framework, and its focus on simplifying access to government schemes such as the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM). Jai also spoke about operational and policy challenges in rooftop and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar deployment, including site-specific constraints and regulatory uncertainty. Looking ahead, he outlined Galo Solar’s expansion plans across high-growth states, targeting residential, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and rural markets with the ambition of emerging as a leading rooftop solar player in India.
Could you give a brief overview of Galo Solar’s current business focus and its portfolio?
Galo Solar aims to fast-track rooftop solar adoption across the country, offering a holistic solar solution under one brand. The company has completed more than 50 MW of installations to date and has aggressively scaled its dealer/distributor-based network, which has expanded to more than 25 cities. Galo Solar provides high-efficiency solar panels, inverters, mounting systems and distribution boxes unused. To support its goal of producing 100 MW of rooftop solar installations by FY2026, Galo Solar will continue investing in research and development and establishing new production facilities, while also improving its supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. The 100 MW target will be assisted by government subsidy programmes that support solar energy usage, thereby making it available to households and businesses in India.
How is Galo Solar supporting customers in adopting rooftop solar under the current government schemes?
Galo Solar is fully supporting customers in adopting rooftop solar under existing government schemes such as PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM. Subsidy eligibility assistance, application processes, document preparation and portal registration are being provided for each customer. For the whole process, from site survey to discom approval, net metering and final installation, the Galo Solar team ensures that customers reap all the government benefits without any hassle. PM Surya Ghar offers residential customers subsidy-compliant installations of Galo-branded panels and systems, along with system design. Meanwhile, PM-KUSUM offers technical guidance and informs agricultural customers on the different types of financial assistance available for solar pumps. Galo Solar seeks to enable more families, farmers and small businesses to be more independent through the adoption of solar in an easy, affordable and reliable way aligned with government schemes, transparency in the process and after-sales support.
How do you ensure performance and warranty support for customers over the long term?
Galo Solar operates a structured service model for long-term performance and warranty support. All products used in its systems, panels, inverters, structures and AC/DC boxes are branded with Galo to ensure quality standards for reliability in performance. Regular maintenance, remote monitoring support and continuous technical support through an on-ground service team are provided after installation. A dedicated support channel will be provided to the customer for monitoring system performance and reporting any issues. This company’s warranty policy is very transparent, documenting all installations and offering long-term performance warranties on panels and standard warranty support on inverters and other components. With this structured after-sales and warranty framework, Galo Solar assures each customer of long-term, uninterrupted solar service.
Do you offer in-house balance-of-system (BoS)/inverter/storage solutions, or do you partner for those components?
Galo Solar manufactures all in-house solar components, including solar panels, inverters, mounting structures, AC distribution boxes (ACDBs), DC distribution boxes (DCDBs), DC cable and BoS. Full vertically integrated manufacturing gives complete control over the system’s quality, safety and reliability. The availability of all the required components under one brand makes the solutions offered by us more consistent, high-performing and stable for the long term. Even though Galo Solar does not provide storage systems, the in-house manufacturing capability provides customised, efficient and reliable solar solutions to customers as per their project requirements.
What are the main operational challenges you face when deploying projects on rooftops and at commercial/industrial sites?
Galo Solar faces several operational challenges while deploying projects on rooftops and commercial/industrial sites. The biggest is site-to-site variation: each roof has different structures, capacities and load-bearing conditions, requiring customised design and engineering. Technical constraints brought in by power load management, shutdown scheduling, safety clearances and machinery interference quite often complicate installation in C&I projects. There are also delays due to issues over approvals related to net metering, discom inspections and local compliances. Urban areas have unique challenges when installing solar systems, as most rooftop areas lack the necessary space to install all types of collectors due to obstructions (water tanks, vent stacks and other obstructions). In addition, most sites do not allow unrestricted access during the monsoon season and experience extreme heat conditions, making it even more challenging to complete jobs on time in accordance with safety and quality standards. Galo Solar approaches these types of urban challenges by utilising advanced pre-engineering and layout services, comprehensive site surveys, modular installation methods, and relying on a highly trained crew to execute the projects in compliance with all safety and quality procedures to complete them on time.
In rapidly evolving tariff and policy landscapes, what are the biggest policy or financing constraints you encounter?
The main challenges we face are frequent policy updates and access to readily available financing options. Constant changes in net metering regulations, capacity limits and state-specific discom processes bring in uncertainty regarding project timelines and long-term return on investment planning. From a financing perspective, high upfront capital expenditure and a constrained availability of low-interest dedicated solar loans make it difficult for some customers, especially in the residential and MSME segments, to easily adopt solar. It is in these circumstances that Galo Solar places significant emphasis on offering customers clear guidance, the latest in regulatory updates and accurate financial advice. This would make it easier for customers to make decisions with greater confidence, thereby facilitating investment in the process.
What partnerships are central to your expansion, and where are you most actively seeking new collaborators?
The expansion of Galo Solar is driven entirely by the strong internal capacity of the organisation. Under the Galo brand, we manufacture all of the components that we use, such as solar modules, inverters, ACDBs, DCDBs, DC cabling and mounting structures. This ensures that Galo Solar has control of the whole cycle, from manufacturing to integration and system performance. With this approach, Galo Solar is assured of consistent quality and maximised efficiency, as well as dependable performance on each of its projects. In order to promote growth, Galo Solar is increasing production capacity and its dealer/distributor network, while also improving service support throughout the ground. Galo Solar is actively growing its presence throughout the country, especially in areas with a high market demand (such as New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand). Galo Solar’s solutions will provide you with quicker response times, better compatibility between components and a better overall customer experience throughout the country.
Are there any new segments or geographies Galo Solar is targeting in the near term?
Galo Solar is planning to expand further into new markets and industries throughout India. The company plans to enter developing segments with considerable expansion potential, such as rooftop solar for residential purposes, MSMEs and commercial/industrial buildings and educational institutions. Galo Solar plans to start aggressively adding new dealers and distributors in key cities across states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha and Jharkhand. Owing to the state of growth, the solar energy market in these states is experiencing tremendous demand, driven by rising costs of electricity and the availability of concrete regulatory support for solar. Additionally, through various government efforts (specifically the PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM initiatives), Galo Solar will expand into both rural and semi-rural areas. By doing so, it will increase access to solar energy for many families, farmers and small businesses, ultimately allowing them to reduce the cost of energy through solar. Galo Solar’s intent over the next several years is to establish itself among India’s top solar companies by growing both its footprint and its market leadership position.
