Kerala Rooftop Solar 2026: KSEB Net Metering and Subsidy
Rooftop solar in Kerala in 2026: PM Surya Ghar subsidy, KSERC 2025 rules, ₹2.79 surplus rate, storage above 10 kW, the 250-unit tariff cliff and sizing.
Short answer: Kerala homes get the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy (up to ₹78,000); no state top-up was found. Under the KSERC 2025 regulations, new prosumers get ₹2.79 per surplus unit (existing ₹3.08), banking is monthly with a financial-year settlement, and domestic systems above 10 kW need storage. KSEB's tariff turns non-telescopic above 250 units a month, so solar that keeps your net use below 250 saves the most. Size carefully to use (check current notification).
Subsidy
| Scheme | Amount |
|---|---|
| PM Surya Ghar, residential | ₹30,000/kW up to 2 kW, ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW, max ₹78,000 |
| PM Surya Ghar, housing societies | ₹18,000/kW, up to 500 kW (3 kW per house) |
| State top-up | None found |
Apply on pmsuryaghar.gov.in with a vendor registered for KSEB. See how to apply.
KSEB residential tariff (1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2027)
Up to 250 units a month (telescopic):
| Units per month | ₹/unit |
|---|---|
| 0–50 | 3.35 |
| 51–100 | 4.25 |
| 101–150 | 5.35 |
| 151–200 | 7.20 |
| 201–250 | 8.50 |
Above 250 units a month (non-telescopic, all units at one rate):
| Units per month | ₹/unit on all units |
|---|---|
| 251–300 | 6.75 |
| 301–350 | 7.60 |
| 351–400 | 7.95 |
| 401–500 | 8.25 |
| above 500 | 9.20 |
- Fixed charge: ₹50–310 (single-phase) or ₹130–310 (three-phase), by consumption
- Electricity duty about 10% (verify); monthly fuel surcharge (a few paise)
- ToD for above 250 units: 6 am–6 pm at 90%, 6 pm–10 pm at 125%
KSEB tariff circular for 2025–27 (high confidence). Kerala bills bi-monthly for many domestic consumers; confirm how your slabs are applied on the bill.
The 250-unit cliff, in numbers
- 250 units: 50 × 3.35 + 50 × 4.25 + 50 × 5.35 + 50 × 7.20 + 50 × 8.50 ≈ ₹1,433
- 300 units: 300 × 6.75 ≈ ₹2,025
Fifty extra units cost about ₹590, nearly ₹12 a unit. If solar brings a 300-unit home below 250, those units are worth far more than the headline rate.
Net metering under the 2025 regulations
| Item | Kerala (KSERC) |
|---|---|
| Regulation | KSERC (Renewable Energy and Related Matters) Regulations, 2025; new billing from January 2026 |
| Domestic size | 1–20 kW, subject to connected load |
| Storage | Required above 10 kW: about 10% of generation potential for 10–15 kW, 20% for 15–20 kW |
| Banking | Monthly, with a reported 2% monthly banking charge |
| Settlement | Financial year |
| Surplus rate | ₹2.79/unit for new prosumers; ₹3.08 for existing |
| Net billing | Optional |
| Grid support charge | Proposed for new plants above 5 kW from 1 April 2027 on non-solar-hour draws; summaries conflict on a 10 kW exemption |
Existing prosumers are grandfathered on several points. Surplus banked as of 31 March 2025 was settled at ₹3.26 per unit by a July 2026 KSERC order.
Worked example: 3 kW in Kochi
- Use: 300 units a month (≈ ₹2,025 energy, plus duty)
- Generation: 3 kW × 1,491 ≈ 4,470 units a year, about 373 a month on average
- Net use near zero in most months; bills fall to fixed charge and small items
- Saving roughly ₹25,000–27,000 a year (banking charge and the monsoon dip reduce it a little)
- Surplus about 870 units × ₹2.79 ≈ ₹2,400 (less banking charge)
- Price about ₹1.65–1.95 lakh, minus ₹78,000
- Simple payback ≈ 3.5–4.5 years. A 2.5 kW system would export less.
Practical points for Kerala
- Monsoon: Kochi's lowest month is June (about 94 units per kW), with output recovering from August.
- Low tilt: Kerala's latitude favours a low tilt (about 11–15°), which also reduces wind load.
- Humidity and salt: coastal homes need good galvanising, stainless fasteners and sealed connectors.
- Lightning: Kerala sees frequent thunderstorms. Proper earthing, a lightning arrester and SPDs are essential. See earthing and lightning.
- Above 10 kW: budget for storage. See do I need a solar battery.
What to double-check
- Whether the home crosses 250 units a month (bi-monthly billing rules)
- Banking charge and settlement under the 2025 regulations
- Storage requirement for systems above 10 kW
- Grid support charge from April 2027 for systems above 5 kW
- Monthly fuel surcharge
How much solar for your city
System size needed to cover a given monthly use, from long-term Global Solar Atlas yields with a 5% rooftop derate (Sunlectric Studio data, Oct 2026). Round up to whole modules and check your roof.
| City | Yield (units per kW per year) | 200 units/month | 300 units/month | 500 units/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi | 1,491 | 1.6 kW | 2.4 kW | 4.0 kW |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 1,507 | 1.6 kW | 2.4 kW | 4.0 kW |
| Kozhikode | 1,491 | 1.6 kW | 2.4 kW | 4.0 kW |
| Thrissur | 1,454 | 1.7 kW | 2.5 kW | 4.1 kW |
Going solar in Kerala: step by step
- Read the bill. Note the consumer number, tariff category, sanctioned load and phase, and add up 12 months of units. See how to read your electricity bill.
- Size to use. Divide yearly units by your city's yield (table above) and round to a practical module count. Check shadow-free roof space.
- Pick a registered vendor for KSEB on pmsuryaghar.gov.in and get an itemised quote. Our installer checklist lists what to ask.
- Apply on the national portal before installation. Systems up to 10 kW are exempt from a technical feasibility study under the central consumer rules, and many DISCOMs give quick or deemed approval.
- Install with DCR modules, a matched inverter, a structure designed for local wind, proper earthing, a lightning arrester and SPDs.
- Net meter and inspection. The DISCOM tests and fits the bi-directional meter and records commissioning.
- Claim the subsidy by submitting bank details on the portal.
Kerala tip: if the household sits just above 250 units a month, show the bill with and without solar side by side. Crossing back below 250 is often the biggest single saving.
Talk to Sunlectric
Installers in Kerala: WhatsApp +91 89567 89307 (wa.me/918956789307) for today's landed price on DCR modules, inverters, LFP storage and BOS through our partner network. Homeowners: send your KSEB bill and we will check the size that keeps you below 250 units without overbuilding. Learn storage design in the Academy battery module.
Related: net metering explained, solar in the monsoon.
Sources
- KSEB tariff 2025–27: KSEB tariff revision circular; fuel surcharge: Kerala Kaumudi (accessed Oct 2026)
- KSERC RE Regulations 2025: SolarQuarter, 7 Jul 2025; Rayenna Energy, 2026; FGE Solar
- PM Surya Ghar CFA: pmsuryaghar.gov.in
- Yields and optimal tilt: Global Solar Atlas, fetched 19 Oct 2026
Questions people ask
What changed for rooftop solar in Kerala in 2025–26?
KSERC's Renewable Energy and Related Matters Regulations, 2025 brought new billing from January 2026: a lower surplus rate (₹2.79 for new prosumers, ₹3.08 for existing), a reported monthly banking charge, storage for domestic systems above 10 kW, and a proposed grid support charge for new plants above 5 kW from April 2027. Check current notification.
Why does crossing 250 units matter so much in Kerala?
Up to 250 units a month the KSEB tariff is telescopic. Above 250, every unit is charged at a higher flat rate. Solar that keeps your net use under 250 can save far more than the average rate suggests.
Is there a Kerala state subsidy for rooftop solar?
We found no state top-up in 2026. Homes get the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy of up to ₹78,000. Check the current notification and KSEB's own schemes.
Do I need a battery for rooftop solar in Kerala?
Only for domestic systems above 10 kW under the 2025 regulations (about 10% of generation potential for 10–15 kW and 20% for 15–20 kW). Typical homes below 10 kW do not need one.