Delhi Free Solar Panel Scheme 2026: Registration Opens for 3 kW Rooftop Solar at Zero Cost

Registration for Delhi free solar panel scheme started on 21 September 2026 at solar.delhi.gov.in. Households that use up to 400 units of electricity a month can now give their consent online and get a 2 kW or 3 kW rooftop solar system installed at zero cost, on a first come, first served basis.

Delhi Cabinet cleared the second amendment to Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023 on 1 September 2026. Central government pays up to ₹78,000 under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Delhi government adds up to ₹78,000 as capital subsidy, and a state top-up covers whatever cost is still left. So an eligible household pays nothing. Installation depends on the roof passing a technical feasibility check.

Delhi Free Solar Panel Scheme 2026

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the change was made because PM Surya Ghar scheme had not picked up speed in Delhi. High upfront cost was the main reason people stayed away. Energy Minister Ashish Sood said the amended policy removes the money and paperwork problems that had discouraged families from putting solar on their roofs.

How to register for free solar panel in Delhi

You do not claim money at this stage. You give consent and pick the system size, and a vendor chosen by IPGCL under the Utility Led Aggregation (ULA) model handles the rest.

STEP 1 - Go to solar.delhi.gov.in, open the 'Citizens Corner' section and click 'Apply Under Delhi Solar Energy policy' under 'Apply for Rooftop Solar (RTS)'. The QR code printed in the Delhi government's newspaper advertisement opens the same consent page.

STEP 2 - Pick your power company in the pop-up. Delhi has four: BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna, Tata Power DDL and NDMC. Your bill shows which one serves you.

STEP 3 - Enter the CA number from your electricity bill and your mobile number, preferably the one registered with your power company, then verify with the OTP.

STEP 4 - Choose 2 kW or 3 kW as the solar capacity and submit your consent. Then apply for a net meter connection on your power company's portal, as the official scheme note asks.

STEP 5 - Empanelled vendor visits for the feasibility check and site verification, installs the plant, and your power company then fits the net meter.

Who can get free solar panels in Delhi

Your electricity bill decides most of it. Only home users qualify for the free system, and those with average use up to 400 units a month get priority under the ULA model.

• You should be a domestic electricity consumer of BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna, Tata Power DDL or NDMC
• Your average monthly electricity use should be up to 400 units to get a 2 kW or 3 kW system free
• Your rooftop must clear the technical feasibility check, so shade, roof area and structure all matter
• Homes using more than 400 units can also give consent for up to 3 kW, but they pay the cost left after ₹1,56,000 of combined central and Delhi subsidy
• Group Housing Societies can use the scheme for common areas, with ₹18,000 per kW from the Centre and up to ₹11,000 per kW from Delhi

What changed in the second amendment

Old policy paid people slowly. Generation Based Incentive was given for every unit produced, spread over five years after installation. That helped on paper but did nothing for a family that could not arrange ₹1.5 lakh on day one. New policy moves that benefit to the front and folds it into the money given at the time of installation.

• Incentive is now paid upfront at installation instead of being spread over five years
• Delhi capital subsidy goes up to ₹78,000 for all home solar installations, not just the free ones
• Delhi government will handle operation and maintenance for 5 years through its chosen vendors, so households do not pay for cleaning, repairs or part replacement in that period
• Application and registration charges are fully waived for home solar systems up to 10 kW
• Net metering approval has been cut from about 75 days to 25 days

Electricity subsidy stays as it is

Putting solar on your roof does not cancel your power subsidy. Homes using 0 to 200 units keep 100 percent subsidy on eligible net use, get a 50 percent energy-saving incentive, and get paid for extra solar power sent to the grid at the APPC rate.

For 201 to 400 units, the existing subsidy of up to ₹800 a month continues. Above 400 units there is no electricity subsidy, though the solar system still cuts the bill through net metering.

How the money works out

Power Department's scheme note gives sample figures. A 3 kW system gets ₹78,000 from the Centre, ₹78,000 from Delhi and a ₹19,000 top-up, so the household pays nil. A 2 kW system gets ₹60,000, ₹52,000 and ₹18,000. Monthly benefit after solar comes to about ₹300 for a 2 kW system at 200 units, ₹950 for 3 kW at 200 units, and ₹1,472 for 3 kW at 400 units. A home using 500 to 600 units pays about ₹19,000 for a 3 kW system and saves ₹2,143 to ₹2,419 a month.

Delhi has been slow on rooftop solar so far. Around 10,070 homes in the city have installed rooftop systems, well short of what the 2023 policy had planned. Government now wants 500 MW of extra rooftop capacity, which is why it moved to a model where the state picks the vendors and carries the cost instead of leaving each family to deal with installers on its own. Odisha runs a similar utility led model, and you can see how that works in the 1 kW rooftop solar scheme in Odisha.

Net metering and what happens to extra power

Net metering is what makes the numbers work. Power your panels make gets adjusted against power you take from the grid, and you are billed only for the difference. If you use 400 units and your system makes 300, you pay for 100. Extra units you do not use go to the grid and get credited.

FAQ's

Can I apply for the free solar panel right now

Yes. Consent registration opened on 21 September 2026 at solar.delhi.gov.in. Slots go first come, first served, so early registration gets earlier installation.

What if my monthly use is more than 400 units

You can still give consent for up to 3 kW and get both ₹78,000 subsidies, but you pay the balance. Under the Discom Trusteeship model, the central subsidy comes to you and the Delhi subsidy goes straight to the vendor.

Who repairs the system if something breaks

Vendor picked by IPGCL handles operation and maintenance free for the first 5 years. After that the household takes over.

I already installed solar on my own. Can I get Delhi subsidy

Use the 'Apply for Delhi Solar Subsidy and GBI' option on solar.delhi.gov.in. You need your CA number, bank account number, IFSC code and a cancelled cheque, and the bank account must be linked to Aadhaar.