Solar in India: the 2026 buyer’s guide

The whole journey in one honest walkthrough — sizing from your bill, the subsidy, choosing components and vendors, net metering, commissioning, and what maintenance actually costs.

Buying rooftop solar in India in 2026 is a well-trodden path: the PM Surya Ghar scheme has standardised subsidies, DISCOM portals have standardised net metering, and prices have settled into a fairly predictable band. It is also a path with a dozen small decisions where a wrong turn quietly costs you the subsidy, or five years of underperformance. This guide walks the full journey end to end, in the order you will actually face it.

Step 1: Size the system from your bill

Ignore what the salesman suggests and start from your own consumption. Your bill shows monthly units (kWh). In most of India, 1 kW of rooftop solar generates roughly 4 units per day — about 120 units a month — varying with state, season, shading and orientation.

Use the system size calculator for your exact numbers, and the state-wise calculators to reflect your local generation and tariff — a kW in Rajasthan and a kW in Kerala do not produce the same.

Step 2: Know the subsidy, briefly

PM Surya Ghar pays central assistance by DBT after commissioning: ₹30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, then a capped total of ₹78,000 at 3 kW and above. A 5 kW system gets the same ₹78,000 as a 3 kW one — extra capacity improves generation, not subsidy. Slabs, eligibility fine print and the portal flow are covered in our PM Surya Ghar subsidy guide; for this journey, just remember two things: you must use a DISCOM-empanelled vendor and compliant equipment, and the money arrives after installation, not as an upfront discount.

Step 3: Choose the system type

For most grid-connected homes, on-grid is the default: cheapest per kW, subsidy-eligible, exports surplus via net metering, but shuts down during power cuts. Hybrid (with battery) makes sense where outages are frequent enough to hurt — you pay a meaningful premium for the battery and hybrid inverter. Off-grid is for places with no usable grid. The trade-offs are laid out in our on-grid vs off-grid vs hybrid guide.

Step 4: Pick components honestly

• Panels — DCR vs non-DCR. Subsidy systems must use panels that meet the scheme’s domestic content rules — ALMM-listed modules, with DCR (India-made cells) required for the subsidy route. The cell-level (ALMM List-II) rules have been amended more than once; your empanelled vendor is responsible for compliance, but confirm in writing that the exact panel model qualifies at your installation date. Non-DCR or non-ALMM panels can be a few rupees per watt cheaper and cost you the entire ₹78,000.
• Panel quality. Prefer established tier-1 or large Indian brands with a 25–30-year performance warranty and a real Indian service presence. Mono PERC and TOPCon dominate 2026 residential installs.
• Inverter. This is the component that fails first. Pick a brand with local service, a 5–10-year warranty, and slightly generous sizing headroom. String inverters are the sensible default for homes.
• Structure and BOS. Hot-dip galvanised (or aluminium) structures, proper earthing, DC surge protection and decent cabling are where cheap quotes cut corners invisibly.

Step 5: Get three quotes and compare them properly

Get at least three written quotes from DISCOM-empanelled vendors at the same specification. In 2026, typical gross residential pricing runs around ₹50,000–60,000 per kW for standard on-grid systems (higher for small systems, premium components or difficult roofs — verify locally). Compare on one number:

Step 6: Net metering — what the DISCOM checks

Your vendor typically files the net-metering application, but the DISCOM’s checks are worth knowing because they are the usual source of delay or rejection:

• Sanctioned load. Most DISCOMs cap system size at or near your sanctioned load. If yours is 2 kW and you want 3 kW, apply for a load enhancement first.
• Local transformer capacity. DISCOMs limit total solar on a distribution transformer (commonly a percentage of its rating). In solar-dense colonies, capacity can be exhausted — this is state- and feeder-specific, so check early.
• Connection details. The connection must be in the applicant’s name, dues cleared, and premises details consistent with the application.

Step 7: Commissioning and the subsidy timeline

After installation, the DISCOM inspects the plant, installs the bidirectional (net) meter and issues the commissioning certificate. You then submit the disbursement request with your bank details on the portal, and the subsidy arrives by DBT — officially within weeks of a valid request, realistically anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months end to end depending on your DISCOM’s inspection backlog. Do not let a vendor collect their final payment while promising to ‘handle’ a subsidy that depends on paperwork they have not filed.

Step 8: The maintenance reality

Solar is low-maintenance, not no-maintenance:

• Cleaning. Dust can shave 5–15% off generation in dry, dusty regions. A simple water rinse every 2–4 weeks (more in dust season) keeps output honest.
• Monitoring. Check the inverter app weekly for the first months, then monthly. A silent string fault can cost a season of generation before anyone notices a bigger bill.
• Inverter replacement. Panels last 25+ years; inverters typically do not. Budget for one replacement around year 10–12 — commonly ₹15,000–40,000 for residential string inverters at today’s prices.
• Annual checks. Connection tightness, earthing, structure fasteners — many vendors sell an AMC; for small systems a paid annual visit is usually enough.

Common mistakes

• Sizing from the salesman’s pitch instead of your bill. Start from monthly units, not from what fits on the roof or maximises the vendor’s ticket.
• Chasing subsidy above 3 kW. Beyond 3 kW the subsidy is flat at ₹78,000; extra kW must justify themselves on generation economics alone.
• Comparing gross prices across different specs. Always compare net of subsidy, per kW, at identical components.
• Ignoring sanctioned load and transformer capacity until after paying an advance.
• Buying hybrid ‘just in case’ in an area with rare outages — the battery premium rarely pays back there.
• Treating the system as fit-and-forget. No cleaning and no monitoring quietly erode the payback you calculated.

Frequently asked questions

What size solar system do I need for a 300-unit monthly bill?

Roughly 2.5-3 kW. At about 4 units per kW per day (~120 units per kW per month), 300 units divides out to 2.5 kW; most households round up to 3 kW, which also maxes out the ₹78,000 PM Surya Ghar subsidy. Your state's actual generation can shift this — check with a state-specific calculator.

How much does rooftop solar cost in India in 2026?

Typical gross pricing for standard residential on-grid systems is around ₹50,000-60,000 per kW, so a 3 kW system runs roughly ₹1.5-1.8 lakh before subsidy and about ₹72,000-1 lakh after the ₹78,000 subsidy. Prices vary with components, roof complexity and state — get three written quotes and verify locally.

Do I lose the subsidy if my panels are not DCR/ALMM compliant?

Yes — the subsidy route requires ALMM-listed panels meeting the scheme's domestic content rules, installed by a DISCOM-empanelled vendor. The cell-level rules have been amended several times, so get written confirmation from your vendor that the exact panel model qualifies on your installation date.

How long until the subsidy reaches my account?

The subsidy is paid by DBT only after DISCOM inspection, net-meter installation and commissioning, plus a valid disbursement request on the portal. Smooth cases see money in a few weeks after commissioning; end to end from application, a few weeks to a couple of months is realistic, with DISCOM inspection scheduling the usual bottleneck.