Published: 29 Apr, 2026 | By Solar
At some point in the history of most commercial building owners, the electricity bill ceases to remain a line item and becomes a real issue. The current Haryana commercial consumer tariffs in DHBVN are between ₹6.45 and 6.95 per unit on low-tension connections, which excludes fixed charges, peak-load excursion charges, or the gradual 5 per cent 7 per cent annual increase that is now an almost certainty.
It is against that backdrop that solar panels of commercial buildings are not an aspirational sustainability option any longer. They are becoming, more and more, a common financial choice.
The cost of a solar setup for commercial use is genuinely scale-dependent, and the economies of scale here are meaningful. A 50 kW system costs proportionally more per kW than a 1 MW installation, because the fixed engineering and regulatory costs are spread across fewer kilowatts. That said, pricing in the market for 2025–26 has stabilised in a range that most commercial entities can model with confidence.
| System Size | Approx. Cost (excl. GST) | Annual Generation (Units) | Daily Generation (Units) | Typical Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kW | ₹12,50,000 | 70,000 – 80,000 | 200 – 225 | 3 – 4 years |
| 100 kW | ₹24,00,000 | 1,40,000 – 1,60,000 | 400 – 450 | 2.5 – 3.5 years |
| 200 kW | ₹47,00,000 | 2,80,000 – 3,20,000 | 800 – 900 | 3 – 4 years |
| 500 kW | ₹1,17,50,000 | 7,00,000 – 8,00,000 | 2,000 – 2,250 | 3 – 4 years |
| 1 MW | ₹2,35,00,000 | 14,00,000 – 16,00,000 | 4,000 – 4,500 | 3 – 5 years |
Here is a breakdown of what a well-designed system actually delivers for a commercial building:
| Benefit | What It Means for Your Business |
|---|---|
| Electricity Bill Reduction | 60%–90% of daytime consumption offset; direct cut in monthly operational costs. |
| Accelerated Depreciation (AD) | Claim 40% depreciation in Year 1 under Section 32 of the Income Tax Act; reduces taxable income immediately. |
| Input Tax Credit (ITC) | GST paid on solar components (~5%) can be offset against your outward GST liability, preserving working capital. |
| Net Metering Credits | Surplus power exported to the grid earns bill credits; unadjusted units at year-end are purchased by DHBVN at 75% of the SECI tariff. |
| Carbon Credits | Large installations begin accruing carbon credits from Year 2 onwards, adding a secondary revenue stream as India's carbon market matures. |
| Energy Price Certainty | Fixed generation cost for 25 years insulates the business from grid tariff escalation, which has been averaging 5%–7% annually. |
| ESG & Compliance Value | A 100 kW system offsets approximately 110 tonnes of CO₂ per year; valuable for ESG reporting and corporate sustainability disclosures. |
Businesses whose load profile is seasonal or with multi-shift operations alter the calculus on the net metering framework in Haryana. To further understand the process of billing under this model, our blog net metering vs gross metering addresses the mechanics in simple language.
The question of commercial solar ROI is one we get asked constantly, and the honest answer is that it varies by system size, financing model, and local tariff rates. What we can say with confidence is that, for commercial installations in Haryana, the numbers are among the most favourable they have ever been.
The table below models the financials across three common system sizes, using DHBVN commercial tariff rates and verified generation estimates based on Haryana's average solar irradiation of 5.5–6.0 kWh/m²/day.
| Parameter | 100 kW System | 500 kW System | 1 MW System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Investment | ₹24,00,000 | ₹1,17,50,000 | ₹2,35,00,000 |
| Annual Generation | ~1,50,000 units | ~7,50,000 units | ~15,00,000 units |
| Annual Savings (@ ₹7/unit) | ₹10,50,000 | ₹52,50,000 | ₹1,05,00,000 |
| Year 1 Tax Saving (40% AD @ 25%) | ₹2,40,000 | ₹11,75,000 | ₹23,50,000 |
| Simple Payback Period | ~2.3 years (with AD) | ~2.2 years (with AD) | ~2.0 years (with AD) |
| Indicative IRR | 23%–25% | 24%–26% | 25%+ |
| 25-Year Cumulative Savings | ₹3.5 Cr+ | ₹17 Cr+ | ₹35 Cr+ |
Since the choice between ownership and the OPEX route comes up in most conversations we have with commercial clients, the comparison below is worth having on hand.
| Parameter | CAPEX Model | OPEX / RESCO Model |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Business owns the asset | Developer owns the plant |
| Upfront Cost | Full investment required | Zero capital outlay |
| Maintenance | Business's responsibility | Developer's responsibility |
| Savings from Day 1 | After payback (~2–4 years) | Immediate (20%–40% below grid rate) |
| Tax Benefits | 40% AD + ITC available | Developer claims depreciation |
| Long-term ROI | Highest (18%–25%+ IRR) | Savings-only; no capital ROI |
| Best Suited For | Businesses with available capital & long-term property interest | Businesses prioritising liquidity or short-term lease tenure |
The way of establishing a business solar power plant is more systematized than most business owners anticipate and the reason is that there is a reason behind the structure. The next stage is based upon the previous one and the shortcuts made during early stages are likely to manifest in the form of problems during commissioning or during the first monsoon season. Here is our approach to it:
We are Spectra Solar Power, and we are among the commercial solar firms with over five years of activity in this industry, and therefore we know what it is like to install a bad quality five years down the line. Having 1,000+ solar installations in residential, commercial, and industrial segments, we base our strategy on a consultation-first model: we begin with your real consumption data and the physical limitations of your building, not with a pre-made package.
The conversation around solar panels for commercial buildings cost in India has shifted materially in the last three years. What was once a long-payback, specialist decision is now, with declining module costs, a more mature EPC ecosystem, and regulatory frameworks that actually support commercial prosumers, one of the better-returning capital investments available to a business.
The HERC 2025 amendments, the removal of the 90% consumption cap, and the accelerated depreciation framework together create a set of conditions that would have seemed unusually favourable not long ago.
