Panels and inverter
The largest share of the cost. Better panels and inverters generate more, last longer, and carry stronger warranties — this is not where to save.
Solar Cost Guide
What Solar Costs, and What Pays It Back
Understand the price before you compare quotes — so you can tell a fair one from a risky one.
Solar pricing depends on real things: system size, component quality, your roof, and your wiring. This guide explains what you are paying for and how the money comes back. For an exact figure, we give you a property-specific estimate with every assumption shown.
What you are paying for
A solar quote is not one price for one thing. It is these parts, and the panels and inverter are most of it.
Mounting structure
The frame that holds the panels at the right angle and survives local wind. On a flat roof it also raises them clear of the surface.
Cabling and safety gear
DC and AC cable sized to avoid losses, plus isolators, surge protection, and earthing. Under-spec here quietly costs you units and safety.
Installation
Skilled labour, access equipment, civil work, and testing. A clean install is what keeps a system trouble-free for years.
Approvals and net metering
The DISCOM application, drawings, fees, and inspections. Paso Solar handles all of this end to end.
Monitoring and handover
The monitoring app set up in your name, plus the records and warranties you keep.
What moves the price up or down
Two systems of the same size can be priced quite differently, for good reasons.
System size
The biggest single factor. Cost per kW usually falls a little as the system gets larger.
Component tier
Premium panels and inverters cost more upfront and generate more over 25 years.
Roof type
A simple RCC roof is straightforward. A sloped tin roof, or a raised structure over a terrace in use, adds material and labour.
Cable runs
A long distance from the roof to the meter room means more cable and more cost.
Single or three phase
Three-phase supply and larger systems need a different inverter class.
Site access
Height, narrow lanes, and no lift access all add to the installation effort.
Why the cheapest quote often costs more
A very low price usually means an undersized cable, a lighter structure, a weaker inverter, or no service after handover. The saving shows up as lost generation, an early repair bill, or an installer who is no longer reachable.
Paso Solar gives you a fixed quote, quality components, and — on home systems up to 10 kW — five years of comprehensive maintenance included.
How the payback works
The system pays for itself through the electricity you stop buying.
You stop buying units
Every unit you generate and use is a unit you do not pay the DISCOM for at your normal tariff.
The subsidy cuts the upfront
For eligible homes, the residential rooftop subsidy reduces what you pay to install. We handle the application.
Savings grow over time
Grid tariffs rise most years. The share you self-generate is not exposed to those increases, so the yearly saving tends to grow.
The panels keep going
Panels are generally warranted for around 25 years. Most of that life is after the system has paid for itself.
We do not publish a single payback number, because it depends on your tariff, your usage pattern, and the final design. Your proposal shows the figure for your property, with the assumptions behind it.
The subsidy, plainly
A central scheme supports rooftop solar for eligible homes, up to a defined system size. It reduces what you pay upfront and is claimed against your electricity connection.
Paso Solar prepares and files the whole application for you, alongside the net metering paperwork. You do not deal with the portal or the DISCOM.
- Applies to eligible residential connections
- Limited to a defined capacity per home
- Amount and eligibility are set by the authority and revised periodically
- Commercial and industrial systems use accelerated depreciation instead, reviewed with your adviser
Go deeper
Detailed articles on solar pricing, sizing, and payback for Karnataka.
- Solar System Cost in Karnataka by CapacityIndicative cost, subsidy, generation, and roof-area figures for 1kW to 10kW rooftop solar in Karnataka, with the assumptions behind every number.3 min read
- Solar Payback Period: How It Is Actually CalculatedHow payback is worked out for a rooftop system, which assumptions move it most, and why the number you are quoted deserves to be interrogated.3 min read
- Is Solar Worth Installing in Karnataka?An honest look at when rooftop solar makes sense in Karnataka and when it does not, based on consumption, roof, tenure, and grid conditions.3 min read
Get a real number for your property
Send us your last three electricity bills and your roof type. We will come back with a system size, a fixed cost, and a payback estimate with the assumptions shown.