Based on: 15 kWh/day usage · 5 kW solar · 5 kWh battery · typical tariffs

Solar & Battery Pricing for India Design, Cost & Payback Calculator

Design solar and battery systems across India using Photonik's professional design platform. India is rapidly expanding its solar capacity with ambitious targets under the National Solar Mission and PM Surya Ghar Yojana. The country offers central subsidies up to ₹78,000 for rooftop solar, with many states providing additional incentives.

Solar Planning & Design

To size your system, start with two questions: how much electricity you use, and how much roof space you have.

1. Energy usage

The average Indian household uses between 5–20 kWh of electricity per day, depending heavily on region, home size, and whether air conditioning is used. Urban homes with split ACs in hot states like Rajasthan or Maharashtra sit at the upper end, while smaller homes without cooling may use as little as 3–5 kWh. Summer demand can be two to three times higher than winter due to cooling loads, and appliance penetration is rising rapidly — refrigerators, water heaters, and washing machines all add to baseline consumption. We start with your daily usage because it determines the system size needed: a home using 15 kWh/day typically needs a 3–4 kW system to offset most of its bill.

Daily Energy Usage: 15 kWh (~₹2595.0/month)

5 kWh 100 kWh

Electricity Cost

₹ /kWh

Sell Price (FiT)

₹ /kWh

Self Use %

lightbulb Note: These are simplified estimates. For detailed tariff inputs and advanced calculations, use the full Photonik app.

Representative flat export rate (feed-in tariff). What you earn per kWh of surplus solar exported to the grid. Your actual rate depends on your provider, plan, and time of day.

See how export rates work →

Estimated at 75% of the retail grid rate. A battery lets you store daytime solar and export during expensive peak hours, so each exported kWh is typically worth more than a flat feed-in tariff. Real returns depend on your time-of-use tariff and battery efficiency.

See how export rates work →

2. How many panels can fit on your roof?

Most urban Indian homes have flat RCC (reinforced cement concrete) roofs, which are ideal for solar because panels can be mounted on tilt structures at the optimal angle for your latitude — typically 15–25° depending on whether you are in Chennai or Delhi. A 1 kW system requires roughly 80–100 sq ft of shadow-free roof area, so a typical 1,000 sq ft terrace can accommodate a 3–5 kW system. Overhead water tanks, staircase housings, and adjacent buildings that cast afternoon shadows reduce usable space. Metal sheet roofs (common in semi-urban areas) can also support panels with specialised clamps, though asbestos or fragile roofing is generally unsuitable.

Installations must use BIS-certified modules (IS 14286/IEC 61215) and inverters, and wiring must comply with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) safety regulations. Grid-connected systems require net metering approval from your local DISCOM, and the installer should be empanelled under the PM Surya Ghar scheme or your state nodal agency. Structural load assessment is required to confirm the roof can handle 15–25 kg per square metre of additional weight.

Loading panel placement tool...

This is a simplified panel layout tool — if you hit issues here, or need multiple groups, shading, or generation calcs, use the full Photonik design tool.

System sizing India

Solar System Size: 5 (22 kWh/day)

1 kW 20 kW

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A 5 kW system in India can generate approximately 8047.0 kWh annually based on local sun conditions.

Solar system size

You'll need around 2.1kW of solar to match your average Indian household consumption. We recommend sizing between 3.2kW and 4.2kW for optimal results, accounting for daily and seasonal variations. India enjoys excellent solar potential, with most regions averaging 4.5-5.5 kWh/kW/day annually, amongst the highest in the world, with consistent generation throughout most of the year.

A 3.2 kW system in India generates approximately 14.1 kWh daily on average, with seasonal variation from 3.68 kWh/kW/day in December to 4.86 kWh/kW/day in April. India's exceptional solar irradiance, combined with central and state subsidies, makes solar particularly attractive for homeowners across the country.

Battery Size: 5 kWh

0 kWh 30 kWh

lightbulb A 0kWh battery will make you about 0% self sufficient.

The sweet spot for most households is 5 – 13 kWh — larger batteries add independence but with diminishing payback, especially where feed-in tariffs are low.

Battery storage

With solar-only (no battery), a 3.2 kW system provides approximately 50% self-usage in India, depending on your consumption patterns, drawing 50% from the grid. Adding a 10 kWh battery increases energy independence to approximately 99% annually, reducing grid reliance to 1%. Battery storage is valuable in India, allowing you to store excess daytime generation for evening use and providing backup power during frequent power cuts, maximising the value of your solar investment.

Battery storage is particularly valuable in India, providing backup power during outages and letting you use solar energy in the evening rather than buying from the grid. The more of your own generation you consume directly, the greater the savings. For accurate battery savings and ROI calculations specific to your state and distribution company, use the full Photonik design tool.

System Costs

The overall price of a solar and battery system depends on equipment quality, installation complexity, and any available rebates or incentives.

Estimated price

A 3.2 kW solar system in India costs approximately ₹273,528, while adding a 10 kWh battery increases the total to around ₹798,422. India offers central subsidies up to ₹78,000 for rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar Yojana, with many states providing additional subsidies ranging from ₹10,000-25,000 per kW. Solar-only systems typically pay for themselves in around 11.6 years in India, whilst adding battery storage usually extends payback but significantly improves energy independence and provides backup power. India's excellent solar potential, combined with central and state subsidies, makes solar particularly attractive, with many systems achieving payback in under 5-7 years.

The cost breakdown shows estimates for equipment costs, installation labour, and applicable taxes. Adjust system size and battery storage to see how it affects total investment and payback periods. India has excellent installer coverage, with qualified installers operating throughout major states, providing competitive pricing and quality installations.

Equipment quality tier

Tiers follow the same scale as the Photonik app. Browse the panel product directory.

Rebates & incentives

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana provides direct central subsidies for residential rooftop solar — ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 per kW for capacity between 2–3 kW, up to a maximum of ₹78,000 per household. The scheme also offers collateral-free bank loans at approximately 7% interest for systems up to 3 kW. To qualify, the installation must be grid-connected, use BIS-certified equipment, and be completed by a vendor empanelled on the national portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in). Some states offer additional incentives on top of the central subsidy.

Payback

Simple payback is the system price divided by annual savings. The price side depends on equipment quality, installation complexity, and rebates. The savings side depends on your electricity usage, the buy rate per kWh, and the feed-in tariff for exported energy.

Simple payback calculation

Estimated price after rebates ₹664866

Estimated annual savings ₹16607.0

Calculation ₹664866 ÷ ₹16607

Simple payback 16.2 years

Electricity rates & feed-in tariffs

Indian residential electricity tariffs follow a slab-based structure set by each state's DISCOM, typically ranging from ₹3–8/kWh for low consumption to ₹8–12/kWh for higher slabs. This means the more you consume, the more expensive each additional unit becomes — making solar particularly valuable for households in higher tariff slabs. Net metering is available in all states, though policies vary: most allow you to offset consumption unit-for-unit within a billing cycle, with some states offering limited compensation for excess export. Because solar eliminates your most expensive units first, even a modest system can produce significant bill savings in states with steep slab structures.

Solar Design & Savings in India's regions

Andhra Pradesh

Design and pricing assumptions for Andhra Pradesh use region-level sun data and local incentive settings.