AI SummaryDelhi government has approved free rooftop solar panels for households that use up to 400 units of electricity a month. Cabinet cleared the second amendment to Delhi Solar Energy Policy on 1 September 2026, and an eligible family can now get a 3 kW rooftop solar system installed without paying anything upfront. Government has fixed a target of covering 2.30 lakh households by March 2027.
Money for this comes from two sides. Centre pays ₹78,000 for a 3 kW system under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Delhi government adds another ₹78,000 as capital subsidy, and the gap left between the actual installation cost and these two subsidies will also be paid by the Delhi government. So the household pays nothing. Installation is subject to technical feasibility of the roof and the other conditions of the scheme.
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 apply for free solar panel in Delhi
One thing to be clear about first. Registration for this zero cost route has not opened yet. Delhi government will run the scheme through a Utility Led Aggregation model, and IPGCL will handle the bidding, vendor selection, installation, complaint help and consumer support. Once vendors are picked, the government will open the process for households. Till then, families can complete their basic registration on the national PM Surya Ghar portal, because that is the same base record the state benefit sits on top of.
STEP 1 - Go to the official portal at pmsuryaghar.gov.in and click on the 'Apply For Rooftop Solar' button on the homepage.
STEP 2 - Pick Delhi as your state, then pick your electricity company from the list. Delhi has BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power DDL, so choose the one that sends your bill.
STEP 3 - Enter your electricity consumer number exactly as printed on your bill, then enter your mobile number and email. Check the consumer number twice, because a wrong digit is the most common reason applications get stuck.
STEP 4 - Log in with your consumer number and mobile number, fill the rooftop solar application form and submit it. Keep 3 kW as the system size if your monthly use is up to 400 units.
STEP 5 - Wait for the feasibility approval from your electricity company. Once the state process opens, the vendor chosen by IPGCL will visit, install the system and apply for net metering on your behalf.
Who can get free solar panels in Delhi
Rules are simple and mostly depend on your electricity bill. Only home users are covered, not shops or factories. Your average monthly use should be up to 400 units, and your roof must have enough space and strength for a 3 kW system.
- You should be a domestic electricity consumer in Delhi with a valid connection in your name
- Your average monthly electricity use should be up to 400 units, which is the same slab where the existing Delhi power subsidy applies
- Your rooftop must clear the technical feasibility check done by your electricity company, so shade, roof area and structure all matter
- Systems above 3 kW are allowed, but the free part covers only up to 3 kW, and you pay for the extra capacity
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Delhi Free Solar Panel Scheme, under Delhi Solar Energy Policy second amendment |
| Launched By | Delhi government, Cabinet approval on 1 September 2026 |
| Eligible People | Delhi home users with average monthly use up to 400 units |
| System Size | 3 kW rooftop solar at zero upfront cost |
| Central Subsidy | ₹78,000 under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana |
| Delhi Subsidy | ₹78,000 capital subsidy, plus the remaining cost gap |
| Target | 2.30 lakh households and 500 MW extra rooftop capacity by March 2027 |
| Maintenance | Free for 5 years by the vendor picked by IPGCL |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | pmsuryaghar.gov.in |
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 flips this around and moves that benefit to the front, folding 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 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
This is the part most people worry about. Putting solar on your roof does not cancel your existing power subsidy. Delhi still gives 200 free units to home users and a 50 percent subsidy on 201 to 400 units, and that continues along with the solar benefit.
Rekha Gupta gave an example while explaining the decision. A 3 kW system produces around 300 units a month in good conditions. A household using about 200 units can keep its subsidy, use part of the solar power it makes, and send the rest to the grid through net metering. By her calculation such a family could see an extra benefit of around ₹950. Her point was that the aim is not just a smaller bill but homes that produce their own power.
How the money works out
A 3 kW rooftop system in Delhi normally costs somewhere between ₹1.6 lakh and ₹1.8 lakh depending on the panels and the vendor. Centre puts in ₹78,000 and Delhi puts in ₹78,000, which covers most of it. Whatever is still left is paid by the Delhi government, and that last piece is the real change here, because earlier a family still had to arrange ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 from its own pocket even after both subsidies.
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 by March 2027, 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.
Approval used to take around 75 days, which was long enough to put people off. Delhi government has cut it to 25 days. Along with this, application and registration charges for home systems up to 10 kW have been removed completely, so there is no fee at the start either.
FAQ's
Can I apply for the free solar panel right now
Not for the zero cost route yet. Cabinet approved the policy on 1 September 2026, but IPGCL still has to complete competitive bidding and pick vendors. You can register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in in the meantime, since that record is needed anyway.
Will I lose my 200 units free electricity if I install solar
No. Delhi government has said clearly that the existing power subsidy continues along with the solar benefit. Free 200 units and the 50 percent subsidy on 201 to 400 units stay in place.
What if my monthly use is more than 400 units
You are outside the free scheme, but you can still install rooftop solar and take the ₹78,000 central subsidy under PM Surya Ghar. You will pay the balance yourself, and net metering still applies.
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. Panels themselves usually carry a long manufacturer warranty separate from this.
Can I install more than 3 kW
Yes, but the free part stops at 3 kW. Anything above that you pay for. Registration charges are waived up to 10 kW, so the fee saving covers larger systems too.
More Delhi government schemes and their current status are listed on the Delhi government schemes page. If you live outside Delhi, check the Haryana solar rooftop subsidy for how a neighbouring state handles the same central scheme.