Commercial rooftop solar in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: costs, savings and how to decide

For many businesses in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, electricity is one of the biggest controllable costs. Hospitals run equipment and cooling around the clock. Schools and offices use most of their power during daylight. Factories, cold stores and shops all pay commercial or industrial tariffs that are higher than domestic rates. That combination of high daytime use and higher tariffs is exactly where rooftop solar pays back best.

This guide explains how commercial rooftop solar works for businesses in our region, how to size a system, what savings look like, how depreciation and approvals work, and what to ask before choosing an installer.

Why solar works especially well for businesses

Higher tariffs

Commercial and industrial consumers usually pay more per unit than homes. Every unit your solar system produces replaces a more expensive grid unit. For planning, our calculators use ₹10 per unit for commercial consumers, compared with ₹8 for domestic.

Daytime consumption

Most businesses use the bulk of their power during working hours, when solar produces. Using solar directly, rather than exporting it, generally gives the best value.

Large, usable roofs

Factory sheds, warehouses, hospital blocks and school buildings often have large roofs that would otherwise go unused.

Predictable costs

Once installed, a solar system produces power for 25 years or more with modest running costs. That protects the business against future tariff increases for the portion of power it generates.

Who benefits most

We see commercial solar make strong sense for:

• Hospitals and clinics: high, continuous loads; cooling; critical equipment.
• Schools and colleges: daytime use, large roofs, closed in the evening.
• Offices and IT spaces: daytime cooling and computing loads.
• Shops, showrooms and malls: lighting and air conditioning during trading hours.
• Small factories and workshops: machinery running during the day.
• Cold storage and food processing: heavy cooling loads.
• Hotels and hostels: cooling and water heating.

Origian's own commercial installations include hospital systems of 17 kW, 24 kW and 38 kW, and a 55 kW commercial installation, alongside our residential work across the region.

How to size a commercial system

Step 1: understand your consumption

Gather 12 months of electricity bills. Look at:

• total monthly units;
• how much you use during daylight hours versus night;
• your maximum demand (MDI) if your bill shows it. Our article on MDI in your electricity bill explains what it is.
• your sanctioned or contract demand.

Step 2: estimate generation

From our installed base in the Anantapur region, each kW of solar produces about 1,550 to 1,600 units a year, or roughly 130 units a month on average. So:

• a 25 kW system produces about 38,750 to 40,000 units a year;
• a 50 kW system produces about 77,500 to 80,000 units a year;
• a 100 kW system produces about 1.55 to 1.6 lakh units a year.

Step 3: match generation to daytime use

The ideal commercial system is sized so that most of its output is used on site during the day. Oversizing beyond your daytime use means more export, which may be credited at different terms depending on your connection and DISCOM rules. Undersizing leaves savings on the table.

Step 4: check the roof

Roof area, structure strength, shading from other buildings or equipment, and roof type (RCC flat roof or metal sheet) all shape what can be installed. Our commercial capacity calculator gives a first estimate.

What it costs and what it saves

Commercial systems benefit from scale: the larger the system, the lower the cost per kW. For reference, Origian's gross price for a 10 kW system is ₹6,10,000 to ₹6,40,000 (about ₹61,000 to ₹64,000 per kW). Larger commercial systems are quoted individually after a site survey, because structure type, cable runs and electrical integration vary a lot.

To estimate savings, multiply annual generation by your effective tariff. At ₹10 per unit:

• a 25 kW system producing about 39,000 units a year is worth roughly ₹3.9 lakh a year;
• a 50 kW system producing about 78,000 units a year is worth roughly ₹7.8 lakh a year.

Your actual saving depends on your real tariff, demand charges, how much solar you use on site, and the export terms that apply to you. Our commercial solar ROI calculator lets you enter your own figures.

Depreciation: a benefit for businesses

Businesses may be able to claim depreciation on a solar system as a business asset, which reduces taxable profit and improves the effective payback. The applicable rates and rules are set by tax law and can change, so confirm the treatment with your chartered accountant. Our solar depreciation calculator shows how depreciation can affect returns.

Subsidy: what applies to businesses

The PM Surya Ghar subsidy is for residential rooftop systems. A commercial connection does not receive it. For businesses, the main financial levers are lower bills, depreciation and long-term protection from tariff rises, not a capital subsidy.

Rooftop types: RCC and metal sheet

RCC (concrete) flat roofs

Common on hospitals, schools and offices. Panels are mounted on elevated, galvanised structures, usually tilted. On flat roofs we use a 10 to 15 degree tilt, structures rated to 150 km/h wind, and anchoring sealed against leaks with bonding and sealant agents at every anchor point.

Metal sheet roofs

Common on factories and warehouses. Panels are usually mounted closer to the roof using clamps or rails fixed to the sheet profile. The key concerns are roof strength, leak-proof fixing and the remaining life of the sheet: if the roof needs replacing in a few years, do it before installing solar.

Electrical integration

Commercial systems need careful electrical design:

• connection to the main LT panel at the right point;
• protection: DC and AC distribution boxes, breakers, and surge protection on both sides;
• earthing: equipment earthing plus a separate lightning-arrestor earth;
• three-phase balancing where relevant;
• monitoring, so facilities teams can track generation.

Our standard specification includes Siemens or Finder DCDB and ACDB, surge protection on both DC and AC sides, Stäubli-grade MC4 connectors, Polycab (or equivalent) cable and a dedicated lightning-arrestor earth pit. See our guide to solar earthing and lightning protection.

Approvals and net metering

Grid-connected commercial systems need DISCOM approval: a feasibility application, inspection, and the appropriate metering. The rules depend on your DISCOM (TGSPDCL or TGNPDCL in Telangana; APSPDCL, APEPDCL or APCPDCL in Andhra Pradesh), your connection category and system size. As part of our installations, we handle the net metering application and DISCOM coordination.

Backup and critical loads

Many businesses, especially hospitals, have generators or UPS systems for critical loads. A standard grid-connected solar system shuts down during grid outages for safety. If you want solar to support critical loads during outages, a hybrid design with batteries, or careful integration with existing backup, is needed. See our hybrid inverter guide. For large loads, combining solar with your existing generator arrangements is often more practical than large batteries.

Operation and maintenance

Commercial systems produce the most value when they are kept clean and checked regularly. Dust from nearby roads and industry can reduce output. Our maintenance visits are scheduled every three months, and we commit to responding within 48 hours to reported issues. See solar maintenance and AMC and our solar panel cleaning guide.

For larger sites, assign someone on the facilities team to watch the monitoring dashboard weekly. A drop in generation is often the first sign of a tripped breaker or a dirty array.

Financing options

Businesses can pay for solar from capital, finance it through a loan, or explore other arrangements. When the monthly loan repayment is close to or below the monthly saving, the system effectively pays for itself from the start. Our guide to solar loans in India explains the options. Our team includes staff who handle bank and finance documentation.

Common mistakes businesses make

• Sizing from a single month's bill. Use 12 months, and look at daytime use.
• Ignoring roof condition. Installing solar on a roof that needs repair soon means removing and reinstalling it later.
• Choosing on price per kW alone. Weak structures, thin cable and missing protection cost far more later, especially on large systems.
• Overlooking maintenance. A dirty commercial array can lose significant output.
• Not involving the facilities or electrical team early. Integration with existing panels and backup needs planning.

Questions to ask a commercial solar installer

1. Can you show similar commercial projects you have completed?
2. How did you size the system: from daytime use or from roof area?
3. What exact modules, inverters, structure and cable will you use?
4. How will the system connect to our LT panel, and what protection is included?
5. Are earthing and lightning protection included, and to what specification?
6. Who handles DISCOM approvals and metering?
7. What monitoring will we have?
8. What does maintenance include, how often, and how fast is your response?
9. What warranties apply to modules, inverters and workmanship?

How Origian works with businesses

We start with a site visit and a review of your bills, then design a system around your daytime consumption and roof. Our proposal lists the exact equipment, structure and electrical scope, the full price, and our warranty terms: a 10-year product warranty and 25-year performance warranty on panels, 5 to 10 years on inverters depending on brand, and 5 years on our workmanship. From confirmation to switch-on, installations typically take 10 to 15 days, depending on size and approvals.

We have been installing across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh since 2020, with more than 300 installations and over 2,000 kW commissioned. To discuss your premises, book a free site survey.

Sector by sector: what to plan for

Hospitals and clinics

Hospitals run around the clock and often have very high cooling loads. Solar covers part of the daytime load, the most expensive part when cooling peaks. Plan for:

• integration with existing generators and UPS systems for critical areas;
• safe roof access that does not interfere with HVAC equipment;
• careful scheduling of installation work to avoid disruption.

Origian has installed hospital systems of 17 kW, 24 kW and 38 kW, so we understand the constraints.

Schools and colleges

Most use is during daylight, and roofs are often large. Holidays mean low use for weeks at a time, so the export rules that apply to your connection matter. Solar can also become a teaching tool, with a monitoring screen in a common area.

Offices

Daytime cooling, lighting and computing match solar production well. In rented premises, involve the landlord early: the roof and the electricity connection may not be yours to change.

Shops and showrooms

Lighting and AC during trading hours suit solar. Roof space may be limited in dense markets, so efficiency and careful layout matter.

Small factories and workshops

Machinery running during the day is a good match. Check the roof type (often metal sheet), its remaining life, and whether heavy machines create demand peaks. Our article on MDI in your electricity bill explains demand.

Cold storage and food processing

Very high cooling loads, often all day. Solar can cover a large share of daytime consumption, with roof strength and space the usual limits.

Building the business case

When presenting solar to partners, a board or a management committee, include:

1. Current electricity cost: 12 months of bills, with units, demand and charges.
2. Proposed system: size, equipment, layout and expected annual generation.
3. Annual saving: generation used on site × effective tariff, shown clearly.
4. Investment: full price, with financing options if relevant.
5. Simple payback and long-term value over 25 years, including an inverter replacement.
6. Tax effect: depreciation, confirmed with your accountant.
7. Risks and assumptions: roof condition, shading, tariff changes and maintenance.

A clear, honest case gets approved faster than an optimistic one.

A note on the residential subsidy

PM Surya Ghar does not cover commercial connections. It is also paid only for systems installed by a DISCOM-registered vendor, and Origian Power is not a registered PM Surya Ghar vendor. For businesses this changes nothing: commercial solar is evaluated on bill savings and tax treatment.

A commercial example: hospitals

Hospitals are among the strongest cases for commercial rooftop solar. They run around the clock, carry heavy daytime loads from air conditioning, lighting and equipment, and pay commercial tariffs. Origian's installations include hospital systems of 17 kW, 24 kW and 38 kW, as well as a 55 kW commercial installation.

A few lessons from this kind of work:

• Critical loads stay on the generator and UPS. Solar reduces the bill; it does not replace the hospital's backup arrangements. Life-safety loads must keep their existing protection.
• Roof space is shared. Hospital roofs often carry water tanks, AC condensers, lift rooms and sometimes helipads or future expansion plans. The layout has to fit around all of this.
• Work must not disrupt operations. Installation is planned so that wards, theatres and services keep running normally.
• Safety matters even more. Full earthing, separate lightning protection and surge protection on both the DC and AC sides are essential in a building full of sensitive equipment.

Commercial payback in plain numbers

As a rough way to see the economics, take a commercial connection at ₹10 per unit, the planning figure our calculators use. Each kW of solar produces about 1,550 to 1,600 units a year in our region. So each kW saves roughly ₹15,500 to ₹16,000 a year, if all the solar power offsets units you would otherwise buy.

Compare that with the system's cost per kW, quoted after a site survey, and you have a simple payback estimate. Higher tariffs, daytime consumption and depreciation benefits all shorten the payback. Shade, poor roofs and export-heavy patterns lengthen it. A proper proposal should show these assumptions clearly, so your finance team can check them.

Monitoring for businesses

A business should not rely on someone glancing at the inverter. Agree at the start:

• who receives the monitoring app alerts;
• what daily or monthly generation report the facilities team checks;
• what drop in generation triggers a call to the installer.

Our maintenance visits are every three months, with a 48-hour response commitment for reported issues.

Frequently asked questions

Is rooftop solar worth it for businesses in India? Usually, yes. Businesses pay higher tariffs than homes and use most of their power in daytime, when solar produces. Each kW of rooftop solar produces about 1,550 to 1,600 units a year in our region, worth roughly ₹15,500 to ₹16,000 a year at ₹10 per unit, the commercial tariff our calculators assume.

Do businesses get the PM Surya Ghar subsidy for rooftop solar? No. PM Surya Ghar covers residential connections only, so commercial and industrial rooftop solar does not receive it. Higher tariffs usually give businesses strong returns anyway, and depreciation may apply; ask your accountant. Origian Power is not a registered PM Surya Ghar vendor in any case.

How much does commercial rooftop solar cost? Commercial rooftop solar cost depends on size, roof type (RCC or metal sheet), structure, cabling distances and integration with generators or UPS. Origian's gross price for 10 kW is ₹6,10,000 to ₹6,40,000; larger commercial systems are quoted after a site survey and an analysis of 12 months of bills.

Can a hospital run on rooftop solar? Rooftop solar can cut a hospital's daytime grid consumption significantly, but critical and life-safety loads should stay on the existing generator and UPS arrangements. Solar complements backup rather than replacing it. Origian's installations include hospital solar systems of 17 kW, 24 kW and 38 kW.

How long does a commercial solar installation take? A commercial rooftop solar installation typically takes from a few days to a few weeks on site, depending on size and roof type, plus DISCOM approval and net metering time. Ask for a written timeline that plans the work around your operations, so the business keeps running normally throughout.

Can solar panels be installed on a metal sheet roof? Yes. On metal sheet roofs, such as factories and warehouses, solar panels are usually fixed to the sheet profile with suitable clamps and follow the roof's slope. Check the roof's condition and remaining life first, because replacing the sheets later means removing and reinstalling the panels.

What depreciation benefit is available on commercial solar? Businesses can usually claim depreciation on rooftop solar as a capital asset, which reduces taxable profit in the early years. The applicable rate and rules depend on current income tax provisions and your business's situation, so confirm them with your chartered accountant before building them into your payback calculation.