India’s technology conversation is increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, data centres and digital infrastructure, however a more fundamental challenge lies in ensuring that the country has sufficient reliable power and water to sustain its growing cities and industries.

At TechSparks 2026 in a panel discussion titled The Invisible Infrastructure: Rebuilding India’s Energy, Water and Clean Air Systems, Shreya Mishra, Co-founder and CEO of SolarSquare, and Vikas Brahmawar, Founder and Director of Boson Whitewater discussed on how on the significance of scaling these solutions which require more than technological innovation. 

The residential solar market in India has undergone a significant transformation over the past five years, said Shreya Mishra, Co-founder and CEO of SolarSquare. 

Recalling the market, she said that when SolarSquare entered the market, adoption was limited, consumers had little understanding of rooftop solar, and the upfront investment made many households hesitant. The company, however, believed that the economics of distributed power generation and the need for energy security would eventually drive adoption.

“Distributed solar, which is solar on every rooftop, will be the cheapest source of power,” Mishra said.

According to Mishra, it took five years for one lakh homes in India to adopt residential solar when the company began its journey. Today, the country adds that many homes in a single week, so far SolarSquare has powered more than 60,000 homes. 

However, the economics alone do not eliminate consumer concerns. Rooftop solar requires a substantial upfront payment, and households may worry about equipment reliability, maintenance costs and whether the system will generate the promised amount of electricity.

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