Solar & EnergyVolume 1 · Issue 2 · July 2026
Design & specify
Solar & Energy Self-Sufficiency
A rooftop, some sun and the right setup can cut your power bill to near zero — and keep the lights on when the grid fails. This 25-guide library brings solar, the PM Surya Ghar subsidy, net metering, backup and home EV charging into one place. We help you design and specify the system; the rooftop wiring, mounting and grid connection stay with a licensed installer and your DISCOM.
Rooftop Solar for Indian Homes: The Complete Guide
How rooftop solar actually works and pays back — the panels, inverter and net meter, the on-grid, off-grid and hybrid choice, how much roof and money a system needs, the PM Surya Ghar subsidy and net metering, and how to judge a good installation.
Read itRooftop solar
Panels, inverters, batteries & upkeep
Hybrid systems01Hybrid Solar System Guide for Indian Homes: Solar Plus Battery Backup (2026)
The hybrid solar system explained for Indian homes: grid-connected solar plus a battery so you self-consume, export the surplus, and keep critical loads running in a cut. How it differs from on-grid and off-grid, the components, sizing, trade-offs, and when to choose it.
Inverter02Solar Inverter Buying Guide (India): Choosing the PV Inverter (2026)
The PV inverter converts panel DC to home AC and runs the grid tie. How to choose the type, size it to your array, compare efficiency, MPPT, compliance and warranty, and pick an approved-list model for the PM Surya Ghar subsidy.
Maintenance03Solar Panel Maintenance and Cleaning in India: Keep Your Rooftop Generating (2026)
How to keep a rooftop solar system generating at its best in India: why soiling cuts output, how often and how to clean panels safely, what to check on the inverter and wiring, degradation and warranty, and when to call a professional.
On/off-grid04Grid-Tied vs Off-Grid vs Hybrid Solar: Which to Choose
The decision that shapes your whole solar system — grid-tied for best payback, off-grid for independence, or hybrid for both plus outage backup. How each works, the inverter each needs, why grid-tied solar shuts off in a power cut, and how to choose for an Indian home.
String vs micro05String vs Microinverter vs Power Optimiser: Solar Inverter Choices
The inverter decision that shapes a rooftop system's output and cost — how string inverters, microinverters and power optimisers differ, why shading and roof complexity tilt the choice, and which makes sense for a typical Indian rooftop.
Battery storage06Solar Battery Storage: Is It Worth It for Your Home?
The battery that lets you use your solar power after dark and ride through outages — how solar storage works, why lithium suits it, how it is sized, the honest economics of whether storage pays, and when a home genuinely benefits.
Solar roof07The Solar Roof Guide
Putting rooftop solar on an Indian home — the system types, how to judge if your roof is ready, mounting and waterproofing, electrical and fire safety, cost and payback, and the permissions, net-metering and subsidy path. India-grounded, and pointed at current MNRE and DISCOM sources.
Panels vs tiles08Solar Panels vs Solar Tiles: Which Should You Put on an Indian Roof?
Solar panels vs solar tiles for an Indian home: standard rack-mounted panels give more watts per rupee today, while roof-integrated solar tiles trade some yield and cost for a near-invisible look. A balanced comparison with a clear choose-A / choose-B verdict.
Grid, subsidy & savings
The money side
PM Surya Ghar09PM Surya Ghar Subsidy: The Rooftop Solar Scheme Explained (2026)
What the PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar subsidy pays by system size, who is eligible, and how to apply from the national portal through an empanelled vendor to the DBT payout -- with every rate flagged as indicative and to be verified officially.
Net metering10Net Metering Explained for Home Solar in India (2026)
How a grid-tied rooftop system settles energy with the grid: net metering (the meter runs both ways, pay only the net), versus gross metering and net billing, plus year-end surplus, capacity caps and why net metering is what makes home solar pay.
Approvals11Rooftop Solar Approvals & Net Metering in India: The Permissions You Actually Need
The rooftop solar approval path made clear — the DISCOM net-metering application and feasibility, an empanelled installer, the structural load check, the electrical safety inspection, the PM Surya Ghar subsidy, and metering and commissioning. DISCOM, state and MNRE rules, not one IS code — confirm current terms locally.
Is it worth it?12Solar Power for Homes
An in-depth analysis of solar power for homes in India — covering ROI, payback periods, net metering, architectural integration, BIPV, PM Surya Ghar subsidies and global lessons. A practical guide for homeowners, architects and policymakers weighing rooftop solar.
Mandates13Solar Energy Mandates in Buildings: Where India Requires Solar
Where Indian building rules require solar rather than just encourage it. Solar water heater mandates are common in state and city bye-laws and often tied to your OC; blanket rooftop PV mandates on small homes are limited. What to check for your plot.
Solar beyond panels
Water heating, AC & carports
Water heaters14Solar Water Heaters in India: ETC vs FPC, Sizing, Backup, Subsidy and Cost
How solar water heaters give an Indian home free hot water from the sun — ETC versus FPC collectors, thermosiphon versus forced circulation, LPD sizing, the electric backup for cloudy days, roof and freeze concerns, MNRE subsidy context, indicative cost and payback.
Water heating15Solar Water Heating: Near-Free Hot Water from the Indian Sun
India's most cost-effective renewable heating — how a solar water heater works, evacuated-tube vs flat-plate collectors, sizing and economics, the role of the electric backup, and why it pays back faster than almost any home upgrade in a sun-rich country.
Solar AC16Solar Air Conditioning: Cooling Powered by the Sun
The sun is hottest exactly when you need cooling most — the honest guide to solar cooling in India: the practical route (efficient AC on rooftop solar PV) versus the exotic ones (solar-thermal and hybrid), what actually makes sense, and how solar and cooling fit together.
Solar carport17Solar Carport Design in India: Shade That Also Generates Power (2026)
A solar carport shades your cars and generates power over the same parking area. This guide covers the steel canopy structure, tilt and orientation for yield, EV-charging and net-metering pairing, drainage and indicative cost bands — all engineer and DISCOM led.
Power backup & EV
Inverters, generators & charging
Inverter & battery18Inverters & Batteries: How They Work & How to Size Them
The silent workhorse of Indian home backup — how an inverter turns battery power into mains, what the VA rating means, why sine-wave matters, how to size the inverter to your load and the battery to your backup hours, and how to keep the system healthy.
Backup options19Inverter vs Generator vs UPS: Which Backup Power Is Right for You?
Three ways to keep the power on, for three different jobs — an honest side-by-side of the home inverter, the generator and the UPS: what each does well, what it costs to run, how long it lasts, and a simple framework for choosing the right one for your home.
Generators20Home Generators: Portable, Standby, Sizing & When You Need One
When a battery isn't enough — how a generator produces power for heavy loads and long outages, the difference between a portable set and a fixed standby DG, how they are sized, the fuel, noise and emission realities, and whether a home actually needs one.
Battery types21Lithium vs Lead-Acid: Choosing a Home Battery for Inverter & Solar
The battery is where most of a backup system's cost and lifespan live — an honest comparison of lithium and lead-acid for home inverters and solar storage: upfront cost versus lifespan, usable capacity, maintenance, space and safety, and which works out cheaper.
EV charging22Home EV Charging: The Complete Guide for Indian Homes
Everything a homeowner needs to charge an electric car at home — how EV charging works, the AC vs DC and slow vs fast reality, the dedicated circuit and load your home needs, safety and the standards, and how to make a home EV-ready from the start.
Apartment EV23Apartment & Society EV Charging: Solving the Hard Case
Charging an electric car in a flat is harder than in a house — shared parking, shared wiring, and a housing society to convince. How apartment EV charging works, the metering and billing options, what the rules say, and how to get a charging point approved.
Charger types24EV Charger Types: AC vs DC, Connectors & Charging Speeds
The confusing world of EV charging made clear — AC vs DC, the power levels from a 3 kW home wall box to a 100+ kW public fast charger, the connectors (Type 2, CCS2, CHAdeMO, GB/T), and how each decides how fast your car charges.
Run the numbers — the energy tools
Solar Sizing Calculator
The rooftop system size for your bill and roof area.
PM Surya Ghar Subsidy Calculator
The indicative rooftop-solar subsidy for your system size.
Solar Payback Calculator
Net cost after subsidy, savings and the break-even year.
Inverter & Battery Calculator
Size a backup inverter and battery for your loads and runtime.
Generator Sizing Calculator
The kVA genset your home needs, with starting surge.
EV Charger Load Calculator
Current, breaker, sanctioned-load check and charge time.