This guide is for shops, offices, schools, clinics, warehouses and small factories. Home solar has its own price and subsidy rules. Start with our home solar cost guide if the connection is residential.
Commercial rooftop solar cost by system size
The table below gives a first range before a site survey. It follows the 10 kW to 100 kW examples on the Infinite Solar commercial page. A second 2026 market range from SolarSquare is broader at about ₹30,000 to ₹50,000 per kW. Prices vary by city and by what the vendor includes.
| System size | Broad planning cost | Typical use | First roof estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | ₹4.5 to ₹5.5 lakh | Small shop, clinic or office | 800 to 1,000 sq ft |
| 25 kW | ₹10.5 to ₹13.75 lakh | Office, school or workshop | 2,000 to 2,500 sq ft |
| 50 kW | ₹19 to ₹27.5 lakh | Showroom or larger office | 4,000 to 5,000 sq ft |
| 100 kW | ₹38 to ₹55 lakh | Campus or industrial building | 8,000 to 10,000 sq ft |
These are indicative installed-cost ranges before a project quote. They do not promise a particular module, generation, tax result or payback. A battery, roof strengthening, long cable route, transformer work, fire changes or difficult access can add cost.
What a business quote should show
Ask the vendor to separate the cost into useful lines. A low per-kW number can hide civil work, approvals or the grid changes that your site needs.
| Quote line | What to check |
|---|---|
| Modules and inverter | Exact make, model, wattage, quantity, input limits, phase and allowed substitutions |
| Structure and roof work | Roof survey, wind design, corrosion treatment, waterproofing and structural responsibility |
| Electrical balance of system | DC and AC cables, protection, earthing, isolators, surge protection and monitoring |
| Grid and approval work | Sanctioned load, meter, DISCOM application, inspection, testing and who pays each charge |
| Service and handover | Generation model, response time, workmanship cover, maintenance, documents and shutdown training |
Keep the gross price visible. If the quote shows only a monthly saving or an “after benefit” price, ask for the original amount, taxes and exclusions.
Size the plant from daytime use
Look at the last 12 months of bills, not only one high month. Record units, tariff, demand charges, sanctioned load, power factor where relevant and the hours when the business operates. Solar usually creates more value when the building uses much of its production during daylight.
A 25 kW system producing an illustrative 1,450 units per kW in a year would make about 36,250 units. If the business uses 60% of those units directly at an avoided value of ₹9 per unit, and the remaining 40% receives an illustrative ₹4 credit, the simple energy value is about ₹2.54 lakh a year. That example excludes fixed charges, taxes, demand charges, maintenance, degradation, downtime and finance. It is a way to test assumptions, not a savings promise.
Use the savings and payback guide for the logic behind self-use and exports. Commercial bills often need a more detailed model than a home bill.
Do not subtract the home subsidy
PM Surya Ghar central assistance is designed for eligible residential connections. A shop, office or factory should not use the household amount in its commercial budget. Check the current state policy, DISCOM route and any business programme separately.
The state solar rules guide explains where to look. A vendor’s claim that every commercial project gets a subsidy needs an official order behind it.
Compare cash, loan and a solar PPA
A business can buy the plant with cash, borrow for it, lease equipment or sign a power purchase agreement where another party owns and operates the system. Each route changes the price, tax treatment, roof obligation, service duty and exit risk.
For a loan, compare total repayment, security, processing fees, interest resets and the effect of a delayed commissioning date. For a PPA, check the starting tariff, escalation, minimum purchase, roof access, insurance, maintenance, termination, ownership at the end and what happens if the building is sold or rebuilt. A low first-year rate is not enough to judge a long contract.
Read our solar finance guide for household borrowing basics. Commercial finance needs a lender and tax adviser who can review the business records.
Approval and site checks can change the budget
- Confirm the consumer category and sanctioned load on the electricity bill.
- Ask the DISCOM which export or behind-the-meter route applies to the project.
- Check whether the roof can carry the structure and allow safe access.
- Keep space for water tanks, drains, fire paths, skylights and future repairs.
- Ask who handles inspection, meter work, protection settings and corrections.
- Do not use a residential net-metering promise for a factory without a current order.
Some businesses need a load change, transformer work, protection study or additional approval. Put the responsible party and expected time in the contract.
Measure performance after handover
Save the commissioning readings, layout, inverter settings, module serial numbers and monitoring login. Compare monthly production with the design model after allowing for weather and planned downtime. Track alarms, cleaning, repairs and grid outages.
Commercial rooftops need a safe service plan. Read the maintenance and warranty guide before the final payment and keep the workmanship promise separate from the panel performance warranty.
Frequently asked questions
What does commercial rooftop solar cost in India?
Two public installer pages show broad 2026 ranges of about ₹30,000 to ₹55,000 per kW for commercial rooftop projects. The table here uses ₹38,000 to ₹55,000 per kW for 10 kW to 100 kW systems because it follows the size examples from one source. The final quote depends on the roof, structure, equipment, taxes, grid work and location. Treat this as a planning range, not an official tariff.
Is PM Surya Ghar subsidy available for a shop or factory?
The household central assistance under PM Surya Ghar is for eligible residential connections. A shop, office or factory should not subtract that household subsidy from a commercial quote. Check a separate state or business programme only when an official order confirms it.
How much roof is needed for a commercial solar system?
A first estimate is about 80 to 100 square feet per kW, including access and spacing. A structural survey can change this because of shade, roof edges, water tanks, fire paths, drainage and equipment clearances.
What size commercial solar system should a business choose?
Start with the last 12 months of electricity use, daytime load, sanctioned load, tariff and roof area. A system that matches daytime use often gives more value than one that sends a large surplus to the grid.
How long is commercial rooftop solar payback?
There is no safe India-wide payback number. It depends on the avoided tariff, self-use, export value, demand charges, system price, finance cost, taxes, maintenance and downtime. Build a conservative case before signing.
Do commercial solar projects need net metering?
The connection and export route depend on the state regulator, DISCOM, consumer category and project size. Some projects use a behind-the-meter design, while others need a net, group, open access or other approved arrangement.
What should a commercial solar quote include?
Ask for the exact modules and inverter, layout, structure, protection, cabling, earthing, monitoring, civil work, taxes, grid and meter responsibility, generation assumptions, warranty, maintenance, payment stages and exclusions.
Sources and research note
The cost table is an indicative market reading from two public installer pages, not an official price list. Their ranges differ because project scope differs. Equipment and project prices change. Check the current quote, DISCOM route and official rule before signing.
About the editorial team
The SolarCost.in Editorial Team checks official rules, public data, calculations, source dates and plain language. The team is independent of installers, vendors and lenders. It does not install solar or sell customer leads, and it does not provide engineering, legal or financial advice. Read our editorial policy or report a correction.