Free Rooftop Solar in Delhi: Zero-Cost 3kW (2026)

Free rooftop solar in Delhi: who qualifies and what it costs

Delhi households whose average electricity consumption was 400 units per month or less in FY 2025–26 can now get a rooftop solar system of up to 3 kW installed at zero upfront cost. The route was created by the second amendment to the Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023, notified on 17 September 2026, which combines the Centre's PM Surya Ghar subsidy (up to ₹78,000) with a Delhi government capital subsidy (up to ₹78,000) — up to ₹1.56 lakh of total government support for a 3 kW system.

TL;DR

• Homes using up to 400 units/month (measured on gross consumption, FY 2025–26 average): up to 3 kW at ₹0 upfront cost under the Discom Trusteeship (ULA) model.
• Homes above 400 units/month: same subsidies, but a consumer contribution capped at ₹5,000 per kW (about ₹15,000 for 3 kW) under the same model.
• Apply at the Delhi Solar Portal (solar.delhi.gov.in) with your electricity CA number and mobile number, or through the PM Surya Ghar national portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in).
• First-come, first-served: Delhi targets roughly 2.2–2.3 lakh new residential installations by March 2027.

What changed in the Delhi Solar Policy in September 2026

Delhi's first solar policy (March 2024) paid residential solar adopters a generation-based incentive (GBI) — ₹3 per unit for systems up to 3 kW — for five years. The second amendment, notified on 17 September 2026, does three things for households:

1. Discontinues the GBI for new residential installations. Existing beneficiaries keep receiving it per the original policy terms.
2. Upfronts that incentive as additional capital subsidy. New residential installations now receive a Delhi state capital subsidy of ₹26,000 per kW (up to 3 kW), paid on top of the PM Surya Ghar central subsidy — instead of a trickle of ₹3/unit payments over five years.
3. Creates a zero-upfront route for modest consumers. Households averaging up to 400 units/month get the system installed with no upfront payment under the Discom Trusteeship model, backed by a centrally funded Utility Led Aggregation (ULA) proposal awaiting MNRE sanction.

The state subsidy during the interim period — until Delhi completes its own vendor empanelment through bidding — is ₹26,000 per kW for individual residential installations (including group-housing installations under the virtual net metering framework) and ₹11,000 per kW for RWAs/group housing societies installing for common-area loads and EV charging. The policy remains in force until 31 March 2030 unless superseded.

Read this alongside our national PM Surya Ghar guide for the central scheme mechanics, and our Delhi-NCR housing society solar guide if you live in a flat rather than an independent house. For the full picture of going solar at home across the NCR, start with our Delhi NCR home solar guide.

Who qualifies for free rooftop solar in Delhi

All of the following must be true, per the amended policy and BSES/BRPL's scheme communication:

• Domestic connection with a Delhi Discom — BRPL (BSES Rajdhani), BYPL (BSES Yamuna) or TPDDL (Tata Power Delhi), with a valid permanent CA number.
• Average consumption up to 400 units/month — measured as the average gross consumption in FY 2025–26 (see the gross-consumption rule below).
• A shadow-free roof — roughly 200 sq ft free area for a 2 kW system and 300 sq ft for 3 kW, per BRPL's eligibility guidance.
• No solar plant already installed at the premises.
• No earlier solar subsidy — the household must not have availed a subsidy under PM Surya Ghar or the earlier Delhi solar scheme.
• Technical feasibility — the Discom confirms the roof can host the system.

The scheme is first-come, first-served and monitored through net-metering data. Delhi's stated target is about 2.2 lakh (the amendment text) to 2.3 lakh (the Chief Minister's September 2026 announcement) residential installations by March 2027, adding roughly 500 MW of rooftop capacity citywide.

What you pay: homes at or below 400 units vs above

At or below 400 units/month: the total system cost (up to 3 kW) is covered by the central subsidy, the Delhi state subsidy, and a top-up the GNCTD provides so the household pays nothing upfront. The government's own illustration for a 2 kW system: a cost of about ₹1.30 lakh covered by ₹60,000 (Centre) + ₹52,000 (Delhi) + ₹18,000 (top-up).

Above 400 units/month: you still get both subsidies, but you contribute the balance. Under the ULA model the consumer contribution is capped at ₹5,000 per kW — ₹15,000 for a 3 kW system, per BRPL's official scheme communication. Press reporting on the cabinet decision put the illustrative 3 kW contribution at about ₹19,000 against a tendered cost of roughly ₹1.75 lakh; your actual contribution depends on the tendered cost, and total subsidy can never exceed the project cost.

Every subsidy route comes with a condition: vendors installing under the scheme provide free comprehensive maintenance for five years. After that, O&M and insurance can be taken through the Discom or its empanelled agencies, billed through the electricity bill, over the system's ~25-year life.

The gross-consumption catch most homeowners miss

Delhi's electricity subsidy (zero bill up to 200 units, up to ₹800/month up to 400 units) is now assessed on gross consumption — grid imports plus solar generation — while billing continues on net metering. The amended policy gives this example: a home consuming 450 units gross per month installs 3 kW of solar, which generates about 300 units; net metering bills it for 150 units. But because gross consumption is 450 units, the household loses eligibility for the electricity subsidy on those 150 billed units.

The same gross-consumption test decides free-solar eligibility: a home that crosses 400 units/month on a gross basis does not qualify for the ₹0-upfront route even if its grid imports look smaller. Check your FY 2025–26 average before applying — for most Delhi homes, the meter reading history on the Discom app makes this a two-minute check.

How to apply for free rooftop solar in Delhi

BRPL customers can register in three steps on the Delhi Solar Portal (solar.delhi.gov.in): enter your details, enter the CA number from your electricity bill and your mobile number, and verify with the OTP sent to that mobile. BSES also accepts registration through its helpline 19123 (option 3) and at netmetering.brpl@reliancegroupindia.com.

The full flow, whether you start on the Delhi portal or the PM Surya Ghar national portal:

1. Register on solar.delhi.gov.in or pmsuryaghar.gov.in with your consumer (CA) number.
2. Choose a vendor — until Delhi's own empanelment through bidding is complete, consumers may choose from PM Surya Ghar-empanelled vendors. Under the Trusteeship model, the state subsidy is paid directly to the vendor.
3. Net-metering application — the vendor files it with your Discom (for BSES customers, via the BSES RTS portal).
4. Installation and inspection — the vendor installs; the Discom inspects, signs the net-meter agreement and installs the net/generation meter.
5. Subsidy disbursement — central CFA via the national portal's e-token route (processed within 15 days of Discom approval); the Delhi state subsidy flows by DBT using PM Surya Ghar portal data, or through the Delhi Solar Portal for installations outside it.

Because capacity is allotted first-come, first-served, applying early matters more than waiting for a "better" time of year.

Homes using under 200 units a month: the extra incentive

Households below 200 units/month already get a zero electricity bill — and the amendment adds a solar-specific sweetener: a 50% incentive on energy savings assessed against the previous year's average net units, paid annually at ₹3 per unit. Surplus solar exported to the grid is paid at the APPC rate (₹6.5/unit in the policy's illustration). The policy's worked example: a home with 150 units/month gross consumption and a 2 kW plant generating ~200 units/month ends up with a zero bill plus about ₹550/month in combined export credits and incentives.

Homes in the 201–400 unit band keep their existing electricity subsidy (up to ₹800/month) alongside the solar benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rooftop solar really free in Delhi now?

For households averaging up to 400 units/month (FY 2025–26), yes at the point of installation: up to 3 kW is installed with no upfront payment under the Discom Trusteeship model, with central and Delhi subsidies plus a government top-up covering the cost. Households above 400 units/month receive the same subsidies but contribute the balance, capped at ₹5,000 per kW. Maintenance is free for the first five years; O&M thereafter is chargeable.

I use more than 400 units a month. Can I still get the subsidy?

Yes. You can install up to 3 kW under the ULA model with your contribution capped at ₹5,000/kW, or install any size through a registered vendor under the regular PM Surya Ghar route — but central CFA stops at 3 kW (₹78,000 maximum) and the Delhi state capital subsidy applies only up to 3 kW as well.

I already have a solar plant. Can I get a subsidy to expand it?

Only for incremental capacity, and only within a total of 3 kW. The amended policy restricts any addition to an existing plant to the incremental capacity within a total solar capacity of 3 kW, and MNRE's guidelines limit additional CFA to the balance capacity up to 3 kW for homes that claimed a subsidy under an earlier scheme.

Does my electricity subsidy continue after I install solar?

It is assessed on gross consumption (grid imports plus solar generation) while billing stays on net metering. A home whose gross consumption stays within 200 units keeps its zero bill and gains the 50% savings incentive; within 400 units, the up-to-₹800/month subsidy continues. A home with 450 units gross, even after solar, is billed for its net units without the electricity subsidy.

I live in a flat in a society. Does this apply to me?

Individual flats can benefit through virtual net metering, with the residential state subsidy of ₹26,000/kW applying to GHS installations under the VNM framework. Societies installing for common areas and EV charging get ₹11,000/kW for common facilities up to 500 kW. See our Delhi-NCR housing society solar guide for the society-level process.

How long does the whole process take?

Central CFA is processed within 15 days of the Discom's approval on the national portal. The end-to-end timeline — registration, vendor selection, net-metering approval, installation, inspection and disbursement — typically runs several weeks and depends on Discom inspection queues, which is another reason to apply early against the first-come, first-served target.

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Sun Wave Technologies publishes independent guides on rooftop solar economics for Delhi-NCR homes and businesses. If you're planning a rooftop solar project in Delhi NCR and want help evaluating system size, subsidy eligibility and vendor quotes, get in touch with our team.