What size rooftop solar do you need?
One question. We will show you the size, what it costs after the PM Surya Ghar subsidy, and how long before it pays for itself.
Built for Manipur. We use MSPDCL's own tariff, and the output we measure on rooftop solar we have already installed here — not all-India averages, which overstate what a roof in Manipur actually makes.
Every number is shown, and where it came from, so you can check our working.
This calculator is for homes. It uses MSPDCL's domestic tariff, so the answer only holds for a domestic connection.
Running a shop, hotel, school, clinic, workshop or factory? You are billed on a different tariff, and the sizing works differently too — commercial roofs are usually sized against daytime use rather than the monthly bill, and there is no PM Surya Ghar subsidy on a commercial connection. The numbers here would mislead you.
We do design and install those systems, and we will work out your figures properly. Send us a recent bill on WhatsApp or get in touch, and we will come back with an estimate built on your actual tariff and load.
What rooftop solar costs in Manipur
Eartheners’ prices for an on-grid Mono-PERC system, effective 24 July 2026. They include GST, installation, balance of system, transport within Greater Imphal, and two service visits a year for five years. They exclude the mounting structure.
| Size | Fitted | Subsidy | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kW | ₹1,79,000 | ₹85,800 | ₹93,200 |
| 4 kW | ₹2,28,000 | ₹85,800 | ₹1,42,200 |
| 5 kW | ₹2,80,000 | ₹85,800 | ₹1,94,200 |
| 6 kW | ₹3,25,000 | ₹85,800 | ₹2,39,200 |
Above 6 kW we quote individually — the calculator will still show you the sizing, the generation and the saving, just not a price. The full price list is here.
How this calculator works
There are only four steps, and the app shows every one of them on your result.
- Your bill becomes units. We take off MSPDCL’s fixed charge, then work the rest up through the domestic slab rates — ₹5.36 for the first 100 units, ₹6.25 to 200, ₹7.10 above that, from the MnERC tariff order effective 1 May 2026.
- Units become a system size. One kilowatt of rooftop solar makes about 1,168 units a year in Manipur. That is what we measure on systems we have already installed here, averaged across the year — it already allows for rain, the monsoon, dust on the panels and the fact that a grid-tied system makes nothing during a power cut. Calculators built on national averages use figures a third higher and allow for none of it.
- Size becomes a saving. Solar cancels your dearest units first, so the saving is counted down from the top slab rather than from an average rate.
- Saving becomes a payback. Price, minus subsidy, divided by what you save in a year — with the panels weakening about 0.5% a year built in.
Common questions
How much subsidy do I get under PM Surya Ghar in Manipur?
₹85,800 for a 3 kW system or larger. Manipur’s figure is better than the ₹78,000 national cap. Smaller tiers exist on paper — ₹66,000 for 2 kW, ₹33,000 for 1 kW — but 3 kW is the smallest system we install, so in practice ₹85,800 is the number. It does not increase with system size: a 6 kW roof receives the same ₹85,800 as a 3 kW one.
What size solar system does my house need?
It follows from how many units you use, not from the size of your roof. Divide your yearly units by about 1,168 and that is the size that covers what you use today.
On top of that we work out a size with a little room in it, because panels weaken slowly, household use tends to rise, and some of what the panels make is lost to dust, wiring and the inverter. When that comes out as a different system from the one that just covers you, the app puts the two side by side — both prices, both monthly savings, both payback times — and leaves the choice to you. Often they come out the same system, and then there is only one to show.
How long does rooftop solar take to pay for itself?
It depends on your bill, so the app works it out for you rather than quoting an average. The bigger your bill, the faster it pays back — a system only saves you money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Below about ₹500 a month the numbers usually do not work yet, and the app will tell you so plainly instead of selling to you.
Can I take a loan for rooftop solar?
Yes. Banks lend for PM Surya Ghar systems at roughly 5.75% to 11%, commonly over 10 years. You put in margin money at the start — 10% of the system cost up to ₹2 lakh, 20% above that — and the subsidy is paid straight to the bank, which reduces the loan rather than coming to you. The margin money is the only cash you need on day one. Processing fees vary by bank, so the app does not pretend to model them.
What happens to the extra units my panels make?
Net metering does work in Manipur. Extra units you export are credited against what you owe MSPDCL — your units first, then the fixed charge. That credit is never paid to you as cash, so the most solar can ever save you is your whole bill and no more. We use ₹4.65 a unit, which comes from our discussions with MSPDCL — there is no published order setting that rate yet, so treat it as our best understanding rather than a promise.
Is this calculator for shops and businesses too?
No. It uses MSPDCL’s domestic tariff, and a commercial or industrial connection is billed differently, sized differently, and is not eligible for the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy. We do install those systems — send us a bill on WhatsApp and we will work out your figures on the right tariff.
When does the PM Surya Ghar scheme close?
31 March 2027, according to the countdown the Government of India runs on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Start to finish an installation takes about two months, so the practical deadline is earlier than the official one.
Reading about the scheme itself rather than the cost? Our PM Surya Ghar page covers eligibility, the documents and how the process runs end to end.
This is an estimate, not a quote. What your roof really makes depends on which way it faces, whether anything shades it, and how you use electricity. We come and check for free — and if solar is not right for your roof, we will tell you so.