Solar EPC in Delhi NCR for Commercial & Industrial Buildings (2026)

Direct Answer: How Does a Delhi Business Go Solar in 2026?

Through one of Delhi's four discoms — BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna, Tata Power-DDL or NDMC — under the DERC (Net Metering for Renewable Energy) Regulations, 2014, modernised by the Second Amendment Guidelines effective 16 July 2026. The July 2026 rules made the process fully online and time-bound: technical feasibility is waived for systems up to 10 kW, and for larger C&I systems connectivity is to be granted within 25 days.

The Delhi incentive that actually matters for a business is the Generation-Based Incentive of ₹1/kWh for commercial & industrial rooftops (early-bird, on the first 200 MW deployed) — there is no capital subsidy for C&I. Combined with a Delhi C&I tariff that effectively runs ₹8–10/unit once PPAC and duties are added, a well-run rooftop plant pays back in roughly 4–5 years.

Regulatory status last checked: 18 August 2026.

Delhi's C&I Tariff — and Why Your Real Rate Is Higher Than the Base

Here's a quirk you must understand before trusting any ROI figure: DERC has not issued a full tariff order since FY 2021-22, so the base schedule is old, and the real cost is inflated by the quarterly Power Purchase Adjustment Charge (PPAC). The base non-domestic and industrial energy charges:

Category (FY 2021-22 base schedule)	Energy	Fixed
Non-Domestic (≤3 kVA)	₹6.00 / kVAh	₹250 / kVA / month
Non-Domestic (>3 kVA)	₹8.50 / kVAh	₹250 / kVA / month
Industrial	₹7.75 / kVAh	₹250 / kVA / month

On top of the base come: PPAC (recently ~5–10.5% depending on discom and quarter), ToD (+20% peak / −25% off-peak on energy for loads ≥10 kW), 8% electricity duty, and other taxes. The net effect is that a Delhi C&I consumer's effective blended rate is roughly ₹8–10/unit. Any EPC quoting savings off the bare ₹7.75 base is understating both your cost and your solar savings.

The July 2026 Net Metering Process for a Business

The Second Amendment Guidelines (16 July 2026) collapsed the process into two online stages:

Apply online — commercial and industrial consumers use the discom's online portal or the Delhi State Portal (the PM Surya Ghar national portal is for domestic consumers only).
Time-bound connectivity — technical feasibility within 15 days for systems above 10 kW (waived entirely up to 10 kW), and Stage-II verification, net-meter installation and connectivity within a further ~10 days — about 25 days end-to-end for a typical C&I project.

The connection agreement is executed digitally (e-signature for non-domestic / >10 kW). On capacity, the operative ceiling is the national Rights of Consumers rule — net metering up to 500 kW or sanctioned load, whichever is lower; larger Delhi C&I projects generally move to group / virtual net metering or open access rather than plain net metering.

Surplus Settlement, GNM and VNM

Net-metering settlement: export beyond import is carried forward as energy credit within the financial year; unadjusted credits at year-end are paid at the Average Power Purchase Cost (APPC).
Group Net Metering (GNM) / Virtual Net Metering (VNM): Delhi's framework lets eligible consumers site solar off-premise or across a group. The 2024 Fifth Amendment added BESS, removed the rooftop capacity cap under VNM/GNM, made discoms bear network-augmentation capex, and — most valuable — exempted wheeling, banking and cross-subsidy charges for systems commissioned by 31 March 2027 (phasing in thereafter).

For a Delhi business with a small or shaded roof, VNM/GNM is often the better structural answer than a cramped rooftop — it's the same green attribute without the space constraint.

Green Open Access for Larger Delhi Loads

For loads above the rooftop's capacity, Delhi's Green Energy Open Access Regulations, 2024 apply: eligibility at 100 kW (single or aggregated connections), connected at 11 kV or above, with no load limit for captive use. Two 2026 developments improve the economics: a draft amendment proposes removing the 11 kV connection requirement (opening GEOA to LT-connected consumers), and DERC has set a four-year linear phase-out of the open-access additional surcharge. For the central framework, see our Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022 guide and the Delhi-specific Delhi green open access 100 kW guide.

The Delhi Incentive That Applies to C&I

The Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023 (notified March 2024) targets 4,500 MW by 2027 and offers a Generation-Based Incentive of ₹1/kWh for commercial and industrial rooftops on the first 200 MW deployed, paid monthly and adjusted against the bill. The capital subsidy (₹10,000/kW) is residential-only — C&I does not get it. Delhi also mandates rooftop solar on government buildings over 500 sq m. Because the ₹1/kWh GBI is an early-bird, first-200-MW incentive, timing matters: confirm current availability on the Delhi solar portal before banking on it in your model.

What ROI Should a Delhi Business Expect?

Plant size	Indicative capex	Payback	25-yr IRR (capex)
100 kW	₹38 – ₹45 lakh	~4.5–5.0 yrs	~18–20%
250 kW	₹90 lakh – ₹1.05 Cr	~4.2–4.8 yrs	~19–21%
500 kW	₹1.8 – ₹2.1 Cr	~3.8–4.5 yrs	~20–23%

Add the ₹1/kWh GBI and 40% accelerated depreciation, and Year-1 economics improve further. Ranges are illustrative — model against your real load with our solar ROI methodology and EPC quote checklist. As an NCR-headquartered developer, we serve Delhi sites with the same crews as our Faridabad and NCR work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which discom serves my Delhi business?

Delhi has four: BSES Rajdhani (south/west), BSES Yamuna (east/central), Tata Power-DDL (north/north-west) and NDMC (central NDMC area). Check your electricity bill to confirm which serves your address.

Is there a rooftop solar subsidy for Delhi businesses?

No capital subsidy for C&I — that's residential-only. The C&I incentive is a Generation-Based Incentive of ₹1/kWh on the first 200 MW deployed, under the Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023.

How long does net metering approval take in Delhi?

Under the July 2026 Second Amendment, about 25 days end-to-end for systems above 10 kW (feasibility in 15 days, connectivity in ~10). Up to 10 kW the feasibility check is waived.

What is the rooftop solar capacity limit in Delhi?

Net metering follows the national rule — up to 500 kW or sanctioned load, whichever is lower. Group and virtual net metering have no rooftop capacity cap and suit larger or space-constrained sites.

How is surplus solar power paid in Delhi?

Export beyond import is carried forward as energy credit within the financial year; unadjusted credits at year-end are paid by the discom at the Average Power Purchase Cost (APPC).

What payback can a Delhi business expect from rooftop solar?

Typically 4–5 years and high-teens to low-twenties IRRs on a capex basis, before the ₹1/kWh GBI and accelerated depreciation.