Haryana Solar Policy 2026: Industrial Incentives & Mandate

Direct Answer

Haryana's industrial solar landscape in 2026 is defined by three overlapping rules: a 2014 notification mandating 3–5% of connected load as solar for establishments with load of 50 kW or more, HERC's net metering cap of 500 kW (or sanctioned load, whichever is lower), and a Green Energy Open Access charge stack adding roughly ₹4 per unit for larger offtakers. The optimization for most factories: rooftop net metering up to 500 kW, then group captive open access beyond.

TL;DR

• Net metering is capped at 500 kW or sanctioned load (whichever is lower); the settlement year now runs 1 October–30 September, with unadjusted credits paid at 90% of the feed-in tariff (2025 Second Amendment).
• The 3 September 2014 notification mandates 3–5% of connected load as solar for industrial/commercial consumers with load ≥50 kW, with penalties for non-compliance.
• HERC kept FY2026-27 HT tariffs unchanged (order dated 25 March 2026): merged NDS(HT) energy charge of ₹6.65/kVAh and HT fixed charge of ₹165/kVA/month.

Which policy governs Haryana industrial solar in 2026?

The operative policy remains the Haryana Solar Power Policy 2016 (with addendum). A draft successor policy was circulated for stakeholder comments in December 2023, but there is no evidence it was ever finalized — HAREDA continues to list the 2016 policy as current. Day-to-day connection, metering and settlement, meanwhile, are governed by HERC Regulations 54 of 2021 and its 2025 Second Amendment, supplemented by the HERC Renewable Energy Tariff and RPO Regulations 2025 (notified 29 October 2025, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029), which set a minimum solar CUF of 21%.

In short: old policy, actively evolving regulations. Factory owners should track HERC orders more closely than HAREDA policy pages.

The 3–5% solar mandate: the rule most factories forget

A notification dated 3 September 2014 requires industrial and commercial establishments with connected load of 50 kW or more to meet 3–5% of their connected load through solar generation, with penalties for non-compliance. This is an obligation, not an incentive — and many mid-size Haryana factories are quietly non-compliant, having never been asked about it during load enhancement or new connection.

Separately, the Haryana Energy Conservation Building Code (HECBC) 2022 applies to commercial buildings with connected load ≥100 kW, contract demand ≥120 kVA, or built-up area ≥500 m² — but it excludes buildings where manufacturing is the primary use. Most factory sheds therefore fall outside HECBC even though the 2014 notification still applies to them. Do not confuse the two: one is a design code, the other is a binding procurement obligation.

Net metering: caps, settlement and hosting limits

On the cap increase: per trade press reports, HERC in September 2026 declined a proposal to raise the net-metering limit to 1.412 MW for a project, holding that capacity beyond the cap must run under gross metering. Treat this as indicative until the order circulates widely, but the direction is clear — Haryana is holding the line at 500 kW rather than expanding export-based settlement.

The 2025 Second Amendment matters operationally too. With the settlement year now running 1 October–30 September, unadjusted banked credits are paid out at 90% of the feed-in tariff rather than lapsing — a partial improvement over older rules, but still a strong argument for right-sizing to minimize annual surplus.

Distribution company procedure differs between DISCOMs; see our DHBVN net metering guide for industrial consumers and UHBVN net metering guide for the application-level detail.

Open access: 100 kW eligibility and a ~₹4/unit charge stack

The Haryana Green Energy Open Access Regulations 2023 (as amended in 2025) set open access eligibility at 100 kW, with load aggregation permitted across connections within a division — a meaningful opening for multi-unit industrial estates and companies with several feeders in the same division.

But eligibility is not the same as viability. The charge stack — cross-subsidy surcharge, additional surcharge and wheeling charges — adds roughly ₹4 per unit on top of the energy cost, which is why open access only pencils out for larger loads or for structures where the generator recovers value differently. For most factories, that points to the group captive route: a project in which your entity holds at least 26% equity and consumes its proportional share directly, bypassing much of the surcharge burden. Our Haryana open access charges breakdown for FY2026-27 quantifies the stack, and our group captive solar (26% equity) guide for North India explains the equity and verification mechanics.

FY2026-27 tariff context: why solar still pays

HERC kept HT tariffs unchanged for FY2026-27 (order dated 25 March 2026). The merged NDS(HT) category carries an energy charge of ₹6.65/kVAh, with an HT fixed charge of ₹165/kVA/month. Two implications for solar economics:

• kVAh billing means demand and power factor management count alongside unit savings — a rooftop plant that trims daytime grid draw also supports your kVAh position.
• Time-of-day differentials within the HT structure make daytime self-generation more valuable than a flat average tariff implies. Our Haryana industrial ToD tariff and smart meter rebate guide covers the ToD windows and rebate mechanics.

Even with tariffs frozen this year, the ₹6.65/kVAh baseline and the ~₹4/unit open access charge stack keep the spread between grid power and well-structured solar wide enough to justify the 2014 mandate's existence.

The optimization playbook for Haryana factories

1. Comply with the mandate first. If your connected load is ≥50 kW and you lack 3–5% solar, size at least that much — it is a compliance requirement, and the economics happen to be favorable.
2. Maximize rooftop net metering up to 500 kW. The 2016 policy waived electricity duty, wheeling and T&D charges, and cross-subsidy surcharges for rooftop solar — one of the few still-live policy benefits. Size to your daytime load, not the cap, to keep surplus near zero.
3. Go group captive beyond 500 kW. With the net metering cap holding firm and open access surcharges around ₹4/unit, the 26%-equity captive structure is the credible expansion path for larger demand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the solar mandate for factories in Haryana?

Per a notification dated 3 September 2014, industrial and commercial establishments with connected load of 50 kW or more must meet 3–5% of their connected load through solar, with penalties for non-compliance. It applies regardless of whether HECBC 2022 does — HECBC excludes manufacturing-use buildings.

Is there a new Haryana solar policy?

No. The Haryana Solar Power Policy 2016 (with addendum) remains operative. A draft policy was circulated for comments in December 2023, but there is no evidence of finalization, and HAREDA still lists the 2016 policy.

How much rooftop solar can I net meter in Haryana?

Up to 500 kW or your sanctioned load, whichever is lower, under HERC Regulations 54 of 2021 — subject to transformer hosting limits of 50% (LT) and 30% (HT). HERC reportedly rejected a proposal in September 2026 to raise the cap to 1.412 MW.

What happens to unused net metering credits?

The settlement year runs 1 October–30 September per the 2025 Second Amendment. Unadjusted surplus credits at year end are paid out at 90% of the feed-in tariff, rather than forfeited outright.

Is open access worth it for my Haryana factory?

Only above a threshold. Eligibility starts at 100 kW (with load aggregation across connections in a division), but cross-subsidy, additional and wheeling surcharges add roughly ₹4 per unit — so open access generally pencils out only for larger loads or via the group captive structure with at least 26% equity.

What did HERC decide on FY2026-27 tariffs?

Tariffs were kept unchanged (order dated 25 March 2026): merged NDS(HT) energy charge of ₹6.65/kVAh and HT fixed charge of ₹165/kVA/month. Tariff stability is favorable for solar ROI math done on current rates.