Solar guides

Practical guides for going solar.

ಸೋಲಾರ್ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶಿಗಳು

No jargon, no fluff. Just what Bengaluru homeowners actually need to know about rooftop solar, PM Surya Ghar, and BESCOM.

Tariffs & billing

Solar installed, bill still confusing? Read it line by line.

What to find on your BESCOM bill once net metering starts: imports, exports, carried-forward units and fixed charges, plus a simple monthly check and an illustrative example.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
Planning

Solar on a sheet or tile roof? Check the roof before the panels.

Whether a metal sheet, asbestos-cement or tiled roof can carry rooftop solar, how panels are fixed, who answers for leaks, and what to get in writing before you sign.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
Buying

Paying for rooftop solar? Tie every rupee to a milestone.

An illustrative staged payment schedule, what to verify before each payment, how loans and subsidy fit in, and the red flags that mean walk away.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
Planning

Renting your home? Who gets to go solar, and who pays.

Who should apply when the roof and the BESCOM connection belong to a landlord, how to split cost and savings with an illustrative check, and what to agree in writing.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
System design

Inverter smaller than your panels? Know when that is fine and when it is not.

What the DC to AC ratio means, when clipping costs you real units, an illustrative loss check, and the questions to ask a vendor about the inverter on your quote.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
Net metering & ROI

Run appliances when the sun is up. It is the cheapest upgrade you have.

Which loads (washing machine, pump, geyser) can move into daylight hours, what to leave alone, an illustrative saving check, and a simple weekly routine to get more from your rooftop system.

Oct 2026 · 4 min read Read →
Net metering & ROI

Battery or net metering? Know what the grid already does for you.

What a battery adds that net metering cannot, what it costs, a rough illustrative value test, and a checklist before you pay for storage.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Quotes & equipment

TOPCon or mono PERC? Do the payback sum before you pay the premium.

Three datasheet numbers to compare, a simple payback test for any panel premium, and two checks (subsidy eligibility and warranty backing) that matter more than the cell type.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Sizing & planning

Do you still want your terrace? Plan the layout before you sign.

A quote tells you the kW, not what is left of your terrace. How to plan walkways, tank and cleaning access, drain outlets and raised versus low structures before the installer starts.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Sizing & planning

Buying an EV? Size your solar for the car too.

An EV adds a steady load to your BESCOM bill. How to estimate the extra units, think through day versus night charging under net metering, and check your load and wiring before buying a charger.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Risk & protection

Your warranty covers defects. Who covers the storm, the fire or the thief?

Warranties are written around manufacturing faults, not outside events. Questions to ask your home insurer about rooftop solar, who carries risk during installation, and the claim file to build now.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Safety & protection

Your panels are the highest metal on the street. Ask where the lightning goes.

Quotes list panels and inverters, but earthing and surge protection often get one vague line. What earthing, lightning arrestors and surge protection devices do, and what to get in writing before you sign.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Long-term ROI

Your panels are warrantied for 25 years. Your output won't stay flat.

Panels lose a little output every year, but most savings tables assume a flat line. How to read the performance warranty, what degradation does to 25-year savings, and how to tell normal ageing from a fault.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Performance check

Is your solar system underperforming? Check in 10 minutes.

A system can run for months with a fault and nothing looks wrong. A monthly routine using your inverter, the app and your BESCOM bill to spot low output early, and when to call your installer.

Oct 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Buying guide

Two 3 kW quotes, two different prices. Compare what's inside, not the total.

The same kW can mean very different scope, equipment and after-sales. A seven-point way to line up rooftop solar quotes: inclusions, DCR proof, subsidy handling, BESCOM support, warranty and payment terms.

Oct 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Site assessment

Fix the terrace first. Then bolt 25 years of panels onto it.

Your panels will sit on your roof for decades. Why old waterproofing should be redone before installation, what to ask about the mounting structure, and who should be responsible if a fixing point leaks.

Sep 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Subsidy guide

Indian-branded panels can still cost you the subsidy.

Claiming the PM Surya Ghar subsidy means DCR panels: Indian cells and Indian modules, not just an Indian brand name. What DCR means, how quotes hide the gap, and what to get in writing before you pay.

Sep 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Site assessment

That water tank looks harmless. Your solar panels may disagree.

A water tank, a coconut tree or a parapet can cost a rooftop system more output than its size suggests. How shading works, how to spot it before you sign, and what to ask your installer.

Sep 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Tariffs & billing

BESCOM's bill just got a new line item. Here's what it does to your solar math.

KERC's April 2026 true-up order adds 56 paise per unit to every BESCOM bill through April 2027. What the charge is, why it recurs, and what it actually does to your rooftop solar payback math.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Financing

Don't have ₹87,000 upfront? PM Surya Ghar has a loan for that.

Collateral-free rooftop solar loans let you install with little to nothing from savings — but the EMI math only works if you understand how the loan and the subsidy actually sequence. Real numbers, and where it goes wrong.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Seasonal generation

Your payback slide shows one number a year. Bengaluru's monsoon doesn't work that way.

Installer quotes average your generation across 12 months, but June-September cuts output by a quarter or more. Why the monthly curve — not the annual number — should drive your sizing and payback math.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Resale & ownership

Selling your home? Your net metering agreement doesn't come with the keys.

BESCOM's net metering agreement is tied to your consumer number, not your rooftop. What happens to the agreement, your banked export credits, and warranty paperwork when a solar home changes hands — a checklist for both sellers and buyers.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Commissioning

Panels installed? Your net meter is a separate approval.

Installation isn't the finish line — BESCOM's commissioning inspection is. The document checklist, site inspection process, and common rejection reasons that delay connections by weeks.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Net metering

No usable roof? Karnataka's virtual net metering changes that.

KERC's tariff order lets BESCOM consumers install solar at one site and credit the generation against a different connection's bill. What virtual and group net metering actually allow, and who it helps.

Sep 2026 · 7 min read Read →
Net metering

Your solar credits don't bank forever. Here's what BESCOM does with them.

Net metering banks your surplus units month to month — but at year-end, unused credits settle at a fraction of retail value and don't carry forward. Why this changes how big a system is actually worth building.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Connection guide

Want a bigger solar system? Check your sanctioned load first.

Your roof isn't what caps your solar size — your BESCOM sanctioned load is. Why a bigger system often needs a load enhancement first, and what that costs every month, forever.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
ROI guide

Already on Gruha Jyothi? Does solar still pay off?

If you're already getting 200 free units a month, the usual solar savings pitch doesn't apply the way installers present it. How the 200-unit cliff changes system sizing and where solar still saves real money.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Warranty guide

What your solar inverter warranty actually covers

Your panels are warrantied for 25 years, but your inverter usually isn't — and it's the part most likely to fail first. What's covered, what voids it, and whether extended warranty is worth it.

Sep 2026 · 7 min read Read →
Maintenance

How often should you actually clean your solar panels?

Dust, construction grit, and monsoon silt quietly cut into your output. How much generation you're losing, how often to clean in Bengaluru's conditions, and what's safe to do yourself.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Apartments & flats

Rooftop solar in an apartment — what's actually possible.

Rooftop solar for flat and apartment owners in Bengaluru — what BESCOM allows, how society approval works, shared roof rights, and when it actually makes financial sense.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Subsidy guide

Not on the empanelled list? Your subsidy isn't coming.

Picking an installer who isn't on the PM Surya Ghar / BESCOM empanelled vendor list can forfeit your subsidy entirely. How to verify empanelment and red flags to check before signing.

Sep 2026 · 7 min read Read →
Practicalities

Does your solar switch off during a BESCOM power cut?

Most homeowners assume solar means backup power during an outage. It doesn't — unless you plan for it. Why grid-tied systems shut off, and what it means for your ROI.

Sep 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Subsidy guide

PM Surya Ghar subsidy guide — how to apply

Complete eligibility criteria, required documents, step-by-step application process, and how much subsidy you'll get for each system size.

Jun 2026 · 8 min read Read →
Net metering

BESCOM net metering — explained simply

What is net metering, how does BESCOM calculate your bill after solar, and what happens to excess power you generate? With real examples.

May 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Sizing guide

How much solar does your home need?

A simple guide to sizing your rooftop solar system based on your BESCOM bill, roof space, and energy usage patterns.

May 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Subsidy guide

PM Surya Ghar in Karnataka — the complete step-by-step guide.

Apply on the BESCOM portal, check subsidy status, gather documents, and track ₹78,000 subsidy timelines from survey to bank credit.

2025 · 8 min read Read →