☀️ Updated May 2026 · PM Surya Ghar Included

Solar Savings Calculator India 2026

Estimate your rooftop solar ROI, payback period, government subsidy & 25-year savings — free, accurate, updated for India 2026.

₹78,000
Max Govt Subsidy
3–5 Yrs
Avg Payback Period
25 Yrs
Panel Lifespan
10×
ROI vs FD
☀️

Solar System Details

Enter your details for an accurate personalized report

Your current average monthly electricity bill before solar installation.
3 kW
Needs ~300 sq.ft roof. Generates ~374 kWh/month.
On-Grid: Lowest cost, net metering, max subsidy. No backup during power cuts.
5.2 hrs
Auto-set from state selection. Rajasthan: 6.5 hrs · Kerala: 4.2 hrs · Delhi: 5.2 hrs.
Auto-set from state selection. Check your electricity bill for exact rate.
5.0%
India electricity tariffs rise ~3–6%/year historically. Higher escalation = better solar ROI over time.
0.5%
Quality Mono panels degrade 0.3–0.5%/year. Poly panels: 0.6–0.8%/year.
📊

Your Solar Savings Report

ROI, subsidy, payback & 25-year savings breakdown

☀️
Your Report Awaits
Fill in your details and click Calculate Solar Savings to instantly see your personalized ROI, subsidy, payback period and 25-year savings.
Monthly Savings
0
3 kW On-Grid · Tamil Nadu
Annual Savings
0
25-Year Benefit
₹0
Monthly Generation
0 kWh
New Monthly Bill
₹0
Bill Offset
0%
System Cost
₹0
Govt Subsidy
₹0
Net Investment
₹0
⏳ Payback Period & ROI
YEARS
Break-even in — years
After payback, your electricity is essentially free for the remaining panel life.
0Payback point25 yrs
🏛️
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
₹0
Up to 2kW: ₹30k/kW · 2–3kW: ₹18k/kW · Max ₹78,000
🌿
0 kg
CO₂ Saved/Month
🌳
0
Trees Equiv./Year
♻️
0 T
CO₂ Avoided (25yr)
💡 Net Metering: Excess solar exported to grid earns credits. DISCOM bills you on net units (imported − exported). Your bill can reach zero!
📈

Detailed Analysis

ROI timeline, system comparison, subsidy breakdown & net metering

Chart for system size:

📊 Cumulative Savings vs Investment (25 Years)

📅 Year-by-Year Annual Savings

YearGeneration (kWh)Annual SavingsCumulative NetStatus
Calculate to see ROI timeline

* Based on entered tariff with annual escalation. Includes panel degradation. Actual results vary by DISCOM policy and local conditions.

Tariff (₹/kWh)
Sun Hours/Day

📊 Monthly Savings by System Size

SystemRoof AreaSystem CostSubsidyNet CostMonthly Gen.Monthly SavingsPayback
Click Compare Now to see results
☀️
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (2025–26)
Up to ₹78,000
Central govt subsidy for residential rooftop solar · Made-in-India panels required

🏛️ Subsidy Amount by System Size

System SizeSubsidy BreakdownTotal SubsidyApprox. Net Cost*
1 kW1 × ₹30,000₹30,000
2 kW2 × ₹30,000₹60,000
3 kW2×₹30k + 1×₹18k₹78,000
5 kWCapped at ₹78,000₹78,000
8 kWCapped at ₹78,000₹78,000
10 kWCapped at ₹78,000₹78,000
⚠️ Eligibility: Residential homes only · Made-in-India (DCR) panels · On-Grid systems only · Apply via DISCOM portal or pm-suryaghar.gov.in. *Net cost excludes additional state-level subsidies which may further reduce your outlay.
📋

Documents Required

Aadhaar, electricity bill (consumer no.), bank passbook, property proof, cancelled cheque. Apply through your DISCOM's online portal.

Processing Timeline

Net meter installation: 30–90 days after DISCOM approval. Subsidy disbursed directly to bank account after commissioning inspection.

⚡ How Net Metering Works

Net metering is the billing mechanism that makes on-grid solar financially powerful. Your bi-directional meter records both import and export:

Net Bill = (Units Imported from Grid − Units Exported to Grid) × Tariff

Excess generation credits carry forward monthly (or annually in some states), effectively making the grid a free battery for your solar system.

☀️

Daytime Generation

Panels generate electricity. Excess (beyond home usage) is exported to grid — your meter runs backward, earning credits.

🌙

Nighttime Consumption

Draw power from grid as usual. At month end: Net Bill = imports minus export credits.

💰

Zero Bill Possible

If annual solar generation ≥ annual consumption, bill can be zero. Surplus credits may carry forward per state DISCOM policy.

📍

State Policy Varies

Settlement periods: monthly, quarterly or annually. AP & Telangana offer annual settlement — better for maximizing summer solar credits.

🔌

Net Metering Bill Estimator

Calculate your exact net bill with solar export credits

Units Imported
0 kWh
Units Exported
0 kWh
Export Credit
₹0
Gross Bill
₹0
Net Bill
₹0
Bill Reduction
₹0

☀️ Why Go Solar in India 2026?

Electricity prices are rising 4–6% annually. A rooftop solar system pays for itself in 3–5 years, then generates free electricity for 20+ more years.

💰

Slash Electricity Bills

A 3kW system can eliminate 60–100% of your monthly electricity bill. After payback, savings compound as tariffs rise — your panels become your best investment.

🏛️

Subsidy Up to ₹78,000

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: ₹30k/kW for first 2kW + ₹18k/kW for 2–3kW, capped at ₹78,000. Many states offer additional subsidies on top.

📈

10× Better Than FD

A 3kW solar system with 4-year payback gives ~25% annualised returns over 25 years as tariffs rise. Far superior to FD (6–7%) or MF (12%) on a risk-adjusted basis.

🌿

Green & Resale Value

A 3kW system avoids ~2.5 tonnes of CO₂/year — equal to planting 115 trees annually. Solar also increases urban property resale value by 3–5%.

💡 Pro Tips to Maximize Solar Savings

Tip 01

Right-Size Your System

Size to cover 70–100% of your bill. Over-sized systems have lower ROI where net-meter export rates are low. Use 100 sq.ft per kW as a thumb rule.

Tip 02

Choose Mono PERC / Bifacial

Mono PERC and bifacial panels deliver 20–22% efficiency vs 15% for poly. Over 25 years, this means 30–40% more energy from the same roof space.

Tip 03

Shift Loads to Daytime

Run washing machines, EV charging, geysers and ACs during peak solar hours (10am–3pm). Maximise self-consumption and reduce night-time grid dependence.

Tip 04

Apply for Subsidy First

Register on pm-suryaghar.gov.in before ordering panels. Choose a DISCOM-empanelled installer and DCR (Made-in-India) panels to qualify for ₹78,000 subsidy.

Tip 05

Annual O&M Contract

A cleaning + inspection contract (₹2,000–4,000/year) keeps panels at peak efficiency. Dusty panels lose 15–25% output in Indian conditions — clean monthly in summer.

Tip 06

Smart Monitoring App

Install a Wi-Fi inverter with a monitoring app. Track daily generation, spot underperformance early, and validate actual vs projected savings in real time.

Tip 07

Compare 3+ Installers

Solar installation costs vary 20–40% between vendors. Get at least 3 quotes. Insist on ALMM-listed panels, Tier-1 inverters, 25-year panel + 10-year inverter warranty.

Tip 08

Plan for Future EV

If you plan to buy an EV in 5 years, add 1–2 extra kW now. Charging your EV during peak solar hours saves ₹1,500–₹3,000/month vs petrol — dramatically boosting ROI.

📐 How to Calculate Solar Savings

The key formulas used in this calculator:

Monthly Generation (kWh) = System kW × Peak Sun Hours × 30 × System Efficiency
Monthly Savings (₹) = min(Monthly Generation × Tariff, Current Monthly Bill)
Payback Period (yrs) = Net Cost After Subsidy ÷ Annual Savings
25-Year Savings = Σ [Annual Savings × (1 + Escalation%)^year × (1 − Degradation%)^year]

Example: 3kW On-Grid, Tamil Nadu (5.2 sun hrs, ₹6.5/unit):
Monthly Gen = 3 × 5.2 × 30 × 0.80 = 374 kWh · Monthly Savings = ₹2,431
Net Cost = ₹1,73,000 − ₹78,000 = ₹95,000 · Payback = ~3.3 years

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

A 3kW on-grid solar system generates approximately 360–450 kWh per month depending on state (Rajasthan gets more sun, Kerala gets less). At an average tariff of ₹7/unit, this saves ₹2,500–₹3,150/month. After the ~3.5-year payback, you effectively have free electricity for the remaining 21+ years of panel life. With 5% annual tariff escalation, 25-year savings can exceed ₹12–15 lakhs.
Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: ₹30,000/kW for first 2kW, ₹18,000/kW for 2–3kW. Maximum subsidy is capped at ₹78,000 for systems above 3kW. Eligibility: residential homes only, Made-in-India (DCR) panels, on-grid systems, installed through DISCOM-empanelled vendors. Apply at pm-suryaghar.gov.in before installation.
Typical payback for a 3kW on-grid system after subsidy (net cost ~₹95,000–₹1,10,000) is 3–5 years. A 5kW system (net cost ~₹1,90,000–₹2,20,000) pays back in 4–6 years. With electricity tariffs rising 4–6%/year, actual payback is improving annually. After payback, 25-year total savings on a 5kW system can exceed ₹18–25 lakhs with tariff escalation.
On-Grid: Best for homes with reliable power (under 3 hrs/day cuts). Lowest cost, highest subsidy, net metering capable. Cannot work during outages. Off-Grid: Best for remote areas or homes with frequent long outages. Complete independence, works during cuts, but batteries add 40–50% cost and need replacement every 5–7 years. Hybrid: Best of both — net metering savings plus backup during outages. Most expensive but the fastest-growing segment in urban India.
A 1kW solar system requires approximately 80–100 sq.ft (7.5–9.3 sq.m) of shadow-free roof space. So a 3kW system needs 240–300 sq.ft and a 5kW needs 400–500 sq.ft. High-efficiency mono PERC and bifacial panels can reduce space requirements by 15–20%. Roof must face south (or east/west) with minimal shading between 9am–3pm for best output. A professional site survey will give exact recommendations.
Standard On-Grid systems automatically shut down during power cuts due to the anti-islanding safety requirement (prevents back-feeding live power into utility lines). Off-Grid and Hybrid systems with batteries continue operating during outages and are ideal for homes with frequent or long power cuts. For typical urban homes with less than 2 hrs/day cuts, On-Grid is strongly recommended for its superior economics and subsidy eligibility.
Net metering is a bi-directional billing arrangement where excess solar power exported to the grid is credited against your imports. Your DISCOM installs a bi-directional net meter recording both import and export. Monthly bill = (units imported − units exported) × tariff. In states with annual settlement (like AP, Telangana), credits accumulate during summer (high solar, low usage) and offset bills in winter and monsoon. This effectively makes the grid a free, infinite-capacity battery for your system.
A 3kW on-grid rooftop solar system costs approximately ₹1.50–₹1.85 lakhs in 2026 (before subsidy). After PM Surya Ghar subsidy of ₹78,000, net cost is approximately ₹72,000–₹1,07,000. Costs vary by panel type (mono PERC/bifacial costs 10–15% more), inverter brand, city, and installation complexity. A 5kW system costs ₹2.50–₹3.25 lakhs before subsidy. Always get at least 3 quotes from DISCOM-empanelled installers for accurate pricing.