Solar Panels for Home
Looking for solar panels for your home? Learn how to choose the right 1kW, 2kW, 3kW or 5kW rooftop solar system, compare costs, understand PM Surya Ghar subsidy, and plan solar installation in Kolkata, Hooghly and Serampore with SolarConnect.
Solar Panels for Home
Solar panels for a home are chosen from the electricity bill, not from a shop catalogue. Most houses in India need a 2 kW or 3 kW on-grid rooftop system, which is about four to six panels. SolarConnect’s maximum price is ₹70,000 per kW with GST included, before the PM Surya Ghar subsidy. The same ceiling applies in Kolkata, Hooghly and Serampore. Roof, shadow and the DISCOM still decide the final size.
Short answer: a normal 3 BHK with a monthly bill around ₹2,000–₹3,500 usually fits a 3 kW home system. That is six panels of about 540 W, a maximum price of ₹2,10,000 including GST, and a central subsidy of ₹78,000 for an eligible home. Battery backup is a separate cost.
What home solar panels actually include
People search “solar panels for home” and then get a quote that is only the modules. A working home system also needs an on-grid inverter, a mounting structure, DC and AC cable, protection boxes, earthing and installation. ₹70,000 per kW on this page is that full on-grid system at the maximum rate, taxes included. The glass module alone is commonly closer to ₹20,000–₹30,000 per kW and will not run your house by itself.
The full rate card, size by size, is on our solar panel price in India page. This guide is the step before that: which size belongs on your roof.
Match the system to your bill
Use last year’s units if you can. A bill in rupees changes when the tariff changes. These rows are a starting point for a CESC or WBSEDCL home, not a site design. Daytime use matters more than the night load, because an on-grid plant makes power while the sun is up.
| Rough monthly bill | Home system | Panels | Maximum price, GST included | Central subsidy | Effective cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹1,000 | 1 kW | 2 × \~540 W | ₹70,000 | ₹30,000 | ₹40,000 |
| ₹1,000–₹1,800 | 2 kW | 4 × \~540 W | ₹1,40,000 | ₹60,000 | ₹80,000 |
| ₹1,800–₹3,500 | 3 kW | 6 × \~540 W | ₹2,10,000 | ₹78,000 | ₹1,32,000 |
| ₹3,500–₹7,000 | 5 kW | 10 × \~540 W | ₹3,50,000 | ₹78,000, capped | ₹2,72,000 |
You pay the gross price to the installer. The subsidy is credited later to your bank if the home is eligible. It is not already cut from every quotation. Check the current rule before you pay. Our solar calculator is the faster way to test your own units.
How many panels a home needs
A modern home panel is about 540 W. Two of them are roughly 1 kW. Count panels only after the kilowatts are chosen. Buying “ten panels” because a neighbour did is how homes end up with a plant that is too big for the sanctioned load, or too small for the air conditioner they actually care about.
Roof you need
- About 30–40 sq ft of clear roof per panel
- 3 kW, six panels: about 200–240 sq ft
- South or west tilt is useful. East still works
- Shade from a water tank or the next building cuts output more than a cheap module does
What 1 kW gives
- About 100–120 units a month in West Bengal
- Best against daytime fans, lights, fridge and TV
- A 1.5 ton AC needs a larger plant, and only while the sun is strong
- Night backup needs a battery. That is not inside ₹70,000 per kW
On-grid is the normal home choice
For a house that already has a meter, on-grid solar panels are the system that can use the subsidy and cut the bill. The plant slows or stops in a power cut. That is normal. Hybrid and off-grid cost more because of the battery, and the battery is usually outside the central subsidy. If you are choosing between the three, read on-grid vs off-grid vs hybrid before you add a battery from the battery page.
Exporting extra daytime units needs a net meter. Without it, an on-grid home system cannot send power to the utility. The steps are covered in how net metering works in India.
Subsidy on a home system
Under PM Surya Ghar, an eligible residential connection can receive ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW, and ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more. A 5 kW home still gets ₹78,000, not more. The modules generally have to be the type the scheme allows, and a commercial meter does not follow this slab. The longer note is the PM Surya Ghar subsidy guide.
Solar panels for a Kolkata home
Kolkata homes are often on CESC, with tanks, neighbours and a short roof. That changes the layout more than it changes the price list. The maximum here stays ₹70,000 per kW, GST included, for a standard on-grid scope. A high parapet or a long cable run moves the quote up toward that ceiling. It should not be sold as a different “Kolkata panel price”. Start with the bill and a roof photo, then use the solar estimate.
Hooghly and Serampore homes
Serampore and the rest of Hooghly are usually WBSEDCL connections. Many houses have a clearer terrace than a narrow Kolkata lane, which helps a 3 kW layout. The equipment ceiling is the same ₹70,000 per kW. What you confirm locally is roof strength, meter phase, and whether the net-meter application is straightforward. SolarConnect’s own office and crew are in this belt, so a Serampore or Hooghly roof can be checked before you freeze the panel count. Installation scope is on the services page.
Before you order panels
- Sanctioned load and meter phase, single or three
- Twelve months of units, not one summer bill
- Clear roof after removing the tank shadow
- Module list that the subsidy will accept, if you want the subsidy
- One turnkey quotation: panels, inverter, structure, cable, GST
If you want the buying checks in more detail, use how to choose a solar system for your home. Product types sit on the product page.
Questions homeowners ask
How many solar panels does a home need?
Most homes need four panels for 2 kW or six panels for 3 kW, using modules around 540 W. A small flat can be two panels. A large house with several air conditioners may need about ten panels for 5 kW. Count kilowatts first.
What is the price of solar panels for a home?
The maximum complete on-grid price here is ₹70,000 per kW including GST. A 3 kW home is ₹2,10,000 before the ₹78,000 central subsidy. That is not the price of the panel sheet alone.
Is 3 kW enough for a normal house?
For many 2–3 BHK homes with a bill under about ₹3,500, 3 kW is the useful size, and it is the smallest system that gets the full ₹78,000 central subsidy. It is not enough if several ACs run together in the afternoon and you also want night backup.
Can solar panels run an air conditioner?
A 3 kW on-grid plant can support daytime AC use when the sun is good, along with the rest of the house. It will not run the AC at night unless you add a battery. Size the plant from the bill, not from the AC badge alone.
Is the home price different in Kolkata and Serampore?
No. The published maximum is ₹70,000 per kW in both places. Kolkata is usually CESC and Serampore–Hooghly is usually WBSEDCL. The quote moves with roof height, shadow and cable length, not with a separate city rate card.
Next step
Bring the latest bill. The right solar panels for your home are the ones that match those units and the open roof, inside the ₹70,000 per kW ceiling.
October 2026. Maximum on-grid home rate ₹70,000 per kW, GST included. Not a panel-only MRP and not an MNRE benchmark. Central subsidy slabs are ₹30,000, ₹60,000 and ₹78,000. West Bengal state aid, if any, is extra and is not deducted above.
Source: SolarConnect India – solar.thetechsr.com
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