On-grid, hybrid or off-grid
Three system types, sized to the same bill and priced from the same parts list.
Estimate, not a quote.
System comparison
| Compared at ₹5,000/month | On-grid Tied to the grid, no battery ₹2,78,392 | Hybrid Grid-tied with backup storage ₹3,85,550 | Off-grid No grid connection at all ₹8,14,180 |
|---|---|---|---|
| System size | 4.4 kWp · 8 panels | 4.4 kWp · 8 panels | 4.4 kWp · 8 panels |
| Battery included | None | 4.1 kWh · ₹98,400 | 20.5 kWh · ₹4,92,000 |
| Cost per watt | ₹63.27 | ₹87.62 | ₹185.04 |
| Estimated subsidy | ₹78,000 | ₹78,000 | Not eligible |
| Bill after solar | ₹275/month | ₹275/month | ₹0/month |
| Pays for itself in | 3 yr 7 mo | 5 yr 4 mo | 12 yr 2 mo |
| During a power cut | Shuts down, for the safety of line workers | Keeps essential circuits running from the battery | Not applicable, there is no grid to lose |
| Best for | Reliable supply, lowest cost per unit, fastest payback | Frequent outages, or anyone working from home | Sites with no grid connection at all: farms, remote plots, pump sets |
| Watch out for | No backup whatsoever. If your area has frequent cuts, this alone will annoy you. | The battery adds substantial cost and needs replacing before the panels do. | Almost never right where a grid connection exists. You pay for a much larger battery and forfeit the subsidy. |
Off-grid forfeits the PM Surya Ghar subsidy because the scheme requires a grid-connected, net-metered system. That, plus a battery sized for a full day of autonomy, is why it costs so much more for the same generation.
Questions people ask
Will solar eliminate my electricity bill completely?
It removes the energy charge, which is the large part. The fixed charge on your sanctioned load stays, along with duty — usually a few hundred rupees a month. Any calculator promising a literal zero bill is quietly ignoring the standing charge.
What happens to extra generation?
Under BESCOM net metering, units you export spin the meter backwards and offset units you import, one for one, over the settlement period. Generation beyond your total annual consumption earns little or nothing, which is why sizing far above your usage rarely pays.
Which system type should most homes choose?
On-grid, in almost every case where the supply is reasonably reliable. It is the cheapest per unit generated, pays back fastest, and qualifies for the full subsidy. Add a battery only if outages genuinely disrupt you — the battery is what makes hybrid substantially more expensive.
Why does my on-grid system shut down during a power cut?
Anti-islanding protection. If the inverter kept feeding the grid during an outage it could energise lines that linemen believe are dead. It is a safety requirement, not a fault, and every grid-tied inverter in India behaves this way.
Does solar work during the monsoon?
Generation drops on heavily overcast days but does not stop — panels work on diffuse light. Annual yield figures already average the monsoon in, so a well-sized system still covers a year of consumption. Rain also cleans the panels, which helps.