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Your electricity bill already knows what solar is worth.
One number in — your monthly bill — and you get the system size that actually fits, every rupee of the ₹78,000 subsidy, and an honest payback figure. Then, only if you want it, up to three registered installers from your city can quote for the same system.
“Bijli bill aadha, bachat dugna.”
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What the calculator tells you
01
The size that fits your bill
Not the size someone wants to sell you. Oversizing past your consumption rarely pays under net metering, and we size to your consumption, your state’s tariff and your actual roof.
02
Every rupee of subsidy you can claim
₹30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, ₹18,000 for the 3rd, capped at ₹78,000. It reaches your bank account after DISCOM inspection — we show you that process, step by step.
03
A payback figure you can argue with
Break-even in years, plus the 25-year number, with the assumptions printed right below it: 4% tariff escalation, 0.6% panel degradation. Disagree? Change the inputs.
The maths, in the open
Most solar quotes ask you to trust a brochure. We publish the model instead. One kW of panels in your state generates a known number of units a month; your tariff converts units to rupees; the subsidy comes off the top. That is the entire trick — and it is all editable, verifiable data.
When an installer’s quote disagrees with your calculator result, make them explain the difference line by line. That conversation is worth more than any brochure.
- Generation
- ≈ 108–128 units per kW per month, by state
- Installed cost
- ₹58,000 per kW benchmark, ±10–15% by city and brand
- Subsidy
- ₹30,000/kW up to 2 kW · max ₹78,000 at 3 kW+
- Tariff escalation
- 4% a year, the long-run Indian average
- Panel degradation
- 0.6% a year against a 25-year warranty
- Roof needed
- ≈ 90 sq ft of shadow-free space per kW
Read before you sign
All 8 guidesThe ₹78,000 subsidy, explained
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana gives up to ₹78,000 central subsidy for residential rooftop solar. Rates, eligibility, documents and the payout process.
Application process, step by step
The complete PM Surya Ghar application process: national portal registration, DISCOM feasibility, vendor selection, installation, inspection and subsidy payout.
Net metering, explained
Net metering lets your exported solar units offset grid consumption. How bidirectional meters, unit banking and export credits work on Indian DISCOM bills.
1 kW system guide
A 1 kW rooftop solar system in India costs about ₹58,000 before subsidy and ₹28,000 after the ₹30k PM Surya Ghar subsidy. Costs, monthly generation and payback explained.
Rates for your city, not the national average
A 3 kW system pays back a year faster in Mumbai than in Chennai, because tariffs differ. Every state page carries its own DISCOM, tariff and generation numbers; every city page has its own cost table.
Questions homeowners actually ask
How much subsidy do I actually get?
₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW, plus ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW — capped at ₹78,000 for anything 3 kW or larger. It applies to residential grid-connected systems installed by a vendor registered on the national portal, and it is credited straight to your bank account after your DISCOM inspects the system. No installer should ever ‘adjust’ it in their quote — the two money flows are separate.
Is rooftop solar actually worth it for an average home?
If your bill is above ₹2,000–3,000 a month, usually yes. A 3 kW system costs roughly ₹1.74 lakh before subsidy and about ₹96,000 after. Most homes break even in 3–5 years, and panels carry 25-year performance warranties — so you get two decades of nearly free power after the payback.
What happens at night or on a cloudy day?
You draw from the grid exactly as you do today. During the day your panels run the house and push the surplus into the grid; your DISCOM bills you on the net difference. That trade — export by day, import by night — is the whole engine of on-grid solar.
How much roof do I need?
About 90–100 sq ft of shadow-free roof per kW, including clearance between rows. A typical 3 kW system needs roughly 270–300 sq ft of usable terrace facing south, east or west.
Will you spam me with calls if I use the calculator?
No. The calculator is anonymous — nothing is stored until you ask for quotes. If you do ask, we share your number with at most three registered installers in your city, and with no one else. That is the entire business model: they pay us, you don’t.
Are these estimates guaranteed?
No, and be suspicious of anyone who guarantees savings. Our figures use state-average tariffs, typical irradiance and current installed costs; your actuals depend on your DISCOM slab, shading and the quote you sign. Every assumption is printed with the result so you can challenge it.
What maintenance does a system need?
Cleaning the panels with water every two to four weeks — dust alone can cut output 5–15%. The inverter is the one part you will replace once, around year 10–12, at roughly ₹15,000–30,000 for a 3 kW system.