Free knowledge base · no sign-up
The complete rooftop solar guide for India
Everything between "should I?" and "it's on my roof, generating", in one place, with the math shown and sources linked. Reading time ~20 minutes; skimming the chapter summaries, ~3.
Updated July 2026 · Based on MNRE / PM Surya Ghar guidelines and state DISCOM data
Chapter 1
The economics, does solar actually make sense?
At a glance, 10-second read
- ▸Bill above ₹1,500-2,000/month: almost certainly yes. Below that: run the numbers first.
- ▸Typical honest payback: 4-6 years after subsidy, then ~20 years of mostly free power.
- ▸The subsidy does the heavy lifting: up to ₹78,000 central + state top-ups where they exist.
- ▸Solar is a purchase, not an investment product, anyone quoting '25% IRR guaranteed' is selling.
Solar's value is simple: every unit your roof generates is a unit you don't buy from the grid at your tariff. The two levers that decide whether it's worth it are your tariff (higher = better) and your sunshine (Rajasthan beats Kolkata by ~30%). Everything else, panel brand, inverter type, moves the answer by percent, not multiples.
The central subsidy changes the math dramatically for systems up to 3kW:
A word of honesty most sites skip: tariff inflation helps solar (your savings grow as grid power gets pricier), but we don't count it in our calculator, so our payback numbers are conservative. If a seller's estimate assumes 5-6% annual tariff hikes and 100% generation forever, their "2-year payback" is marketing, not math.
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, PIB India official overviewOfficial PIB (Press Information Bureau) video. Loads only when you press play.
Chapter 2
The hardware, what you're actually buying
At a glance, 10-second read
- ▸Three parts: panels (generate DC), inverter (convert to AC), structure (holds it all for 25 years).
- ▸Small roof: Mono-PERC or TOPCon panels. Big shadow-free roof: cheaper poly works too.
- ▸The inverter is the part that fails first, buy the warranty and service network, not just watts.
- ▸Battery only if you have real power cuts; it roughly doubles system complexity and adds ₹50k-1L.
For the subsidy, your choices are already constrained in a good way: panels must beALMM-listed and DCR-compliant (Indian-made cells and modules), and inverters BIS-certified. Within that, the decisions that matter: panel technology for your roof size, inverter brand for its service network in your district, and structure material for your climate (galvanised/aluminium near the coast). The full comparison, string vs micro vs hybrid inverters, Mono-PERC vs TOPCon, C10 batteries, lives in the hardware guide.
Chapter 3
The process, application to commissioning
Everything runs through one national portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in), with your DISCOM handling feasibility, the net meter, and inspection. How net metering works once you're live:
The paperwork journey (7 steps)
- 1
Register on the PM Surya Ghar portal
Same day - 2
Apply for rooftop solar
Feasibility approval typically within 15 days - 3
Choose a registered vendor
Your pace, don't rush vendor selection - 4
Installation
1-3 weeks from order, 2-3 days on the roof - 5
Submit installation details & apply for net meter
Net meter typically installed within 15-30 days - 6
Inspection & commissioning certificate
Usually within 15 days of net meter installation - 7
Submit bank details & receive subsidy
Subsidy credited within ~30 days of commissioning
The physical journey (what actually happens, day by day)
Site survey
The installer checks shadow-free area, roof strength, cable routing, and your sanctioned load.
💡 Should be free. Ask for a shadow analysis, a phone-photo 'survey' is a red flag.
Quotation & agreement
Compare 2-3 itemised quotes: exact panel model, inverter model, structure material, warranties, what's excluded.
💡 Never pay 100% upfront; 20-30% advance is normal.
Material delivery
Panels, structure, inverter, cables, earthing kit arrive. Cross-check every item before installation starts.
💡 Photograph brand labels and serial numbers against the quote.
Installation
Mounting, panels, inverter, wiring, earthing, lightning arrestor. A 3kW residential install is a 2-3 day job.
💡 Be home. Watch the waterproofing at anchor points.
Net meter & inspection
DISCOM installs the bidirectional meter and inspects. Timelines vary by state (15-45 days typically).
💡 Keep the application receipt, this is the slow step.
Subsidy in your bank
After commissioning, the central subsidy lands via DBT within ~30 days. Track it on the portal.
💡 Mismatched bank details are the #1 cause of stuck subsidies.
Chapter 4
Maintenance, low, not zero
At a glance, 10-second read
- ▸Dust is the silent tax: uncleaned panels lose 10-15% generation, real money on your bill.
- ▸Clean every 2-4 weeks (more in dusty/dry regions), plain water + soft brush, early morning.
- ▸Budget one inverter replacement around year 10-12: ₹15,000-30,000 for a residential system.
- ▸Check your generation monthly on the inverter app, a sudden drop means a fault, not weather.
Panels themselves are astonishingly durable, no moving parts, 25-year warranties that Indian heat and monsoons are already priced into. Your two real jobs: keep them clean, and keep an eye on the inverter. The maintenance guide covers cleaning economics by region, monsoon behaviour, and the honest 25-year total cost of ownership.
Chapter 5
The final checklist
Tick all ten and you're ready to sign:
- 1Monthly bill above ₹1,500-2,000 (below that, payback stretches past 7-8 years)
- 2Shadow-free roof: ~90 sq ft per kW after excluding tanks, parapets, antennas
- 3Roof rights: own house, or society NOC / GHS-RWA route for apartments
- 4Connection in the applicant's name (or transfer it first)
- 5Sanctioned load ≥ proposed system size (check your bill; enhance if needed)
- 62-3 itemised quotes from portal-registered vendors compared
- 7Panels ALMM-listed and DCR-compliant, inverter BIS-certified, in writing
- 8Warranty terms in the agreement: 25yr+ panels, 5-10yr inverter, 5yr workmanship
- 9Financing decided: cash, or the ~7% collateral-free loan via Jan Samarth
- 10Bank account + cancelled cheque ready for DBT subsidy
Official portals, apply & verify here
We are not affiliated with any government body. Applications and current scheme rules live on these official portals, never pay anyone to "arrange" the subsidy for you.
Start with your own numbers
30 seconds: your bill + your roof system size, subsidy, net cost, payback, and the 25-year curve.
Open the calculator