Is Your Home Ready for Rooftop Solar?

Rooftop solar installation has grown rapidly in India — over 11 million households installed solar under PM Surya Ghar Yojana by early 2026. If you haven't yet, this guide explains everything: from checking your roof to the day the system goes live.

Roof Requirements for Solar Installation

Minimum Roof Space

You need approximately 10 square feet per 100 watts of installed capacity:

  • 1 kW system: ~100 sq ft shadow-free area
  • 3 kW system: ~300 sq ft (about the size of a 17×17 ft terrace section)
  • 5 kW system: ~500 sq ft

Roof Orientation and Tilt

In India (latitude 8°–37° N), the ideal setup is:

  • Direction: South-facing gives maximum annual output. East or West-facing gives 85–90% of south-facing output — still worthwhile.
  • Tilt angle: Equal to your city's latitude (Mumbai: 19°, Delhi: 28°, Bangalore: 13°). Fixed mounting structure is set to this angle.
  • Avoid north-facing: Produces 40–60% less in India — not recommended.

Roof Type Considerations

  • RCC/concrete flat roof: Easiest. Standard mounting with concrete pedestals or drilling. Most common in India.
  • Clay/Mangalore tiles: Special hook mounting required. Adds ₹5,000–₹15,000 to structure cost.
  • Metal sheet (industrial): Clamp mounting — no drilling. Easy and clean.
  • Asbestos: Technically possible but risky to drill. Installer will recommend a raised structure that avoids penetrating the asbestos.

Shadow-Free Requirement

Shading is the biggest efficiency killer. Even partial shade on one panel can reduce output of the entire string by 20–40%. Common shading sources:

  • Water tanks — position panels away from tank shadow path
  • Satellite dishes, TV antennas — remove or relocate
  • Parapets — raise panels above parapet level if needed
  • Adjacent buildings or trees — check shadow at 10am, 12pm, 2pm on a clear day in December (worst case)

Who Can Install Rooftop Solar? (Eligibility)

For PM Surya Ghar subsidy, you must:

  • Be a residential electricity consumer (domestic category)
  • Have a valid electricity consumer number
  • Own the roof (tenants can install with owner's written permission)
  • Install capacity not exceeding your sanctioned load

Commercial/industrial consumers can also install solar but under different schemes (without PM Surya Ghar subsidy).

The DISCOM Process Step by Step

  1. Register at pmsuryaghar.gov.in with your consumer number and state
  2. Apply for feasibility/technical approval — DISCOM checks if your connection can support solar
  3. Choose DISCOM-empanelled installer — must be on the approved list for subsidy
  4. Installation — takes 1–3 days
  5. Submit completion report to DISCOM with photos and documents
  6. DISCOM inspection — engineer visits to verify and install net meter
  7. Subsidy disbursement — credited to your bank account within 30–60 days

Solar Installation in Apartments — Is It Possible?

Yes, but with conditions:

  • Ground floor/top floor individual units: Can install if they have exclusive terrace rights
  • Housing societies: Can install on common terrace for common area electricity (street lights, lifts, pumps). Saves 20–50% on society's electricity bill.
  • Group net metering: Some states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka) allow society-level solar with units distributed to individual flats

Find Rooftop Solar Installers Near You

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