Do I pay tax on exported units?

No. Exports offset your bill 1:1 at the retail tariff up to consumption value. Surplus carries to the next month for up to 12 months, then resets.

Will solar work during load shedding?

Pure grid-tie inverters shut down without grid power (anti-islanding). For backup you need a hybrid inverter + battery — adds ৳200,000–400,000.

How much roof area do I need?

About 80–100 sq ft per kW for monocrystalline panels. A 5 kW system needs ~450 sq ft of unshaded south-facing roof.

Solar savings & payback calculator

Estimate how much you save per month with a rooftop solar installation under the net-metering policy, including payback period and 25-year return.

Solar payback inputs

System size (kW)

Typical Dhaka rooftop: 3–10 kW residential, 20–100 kW commercial.

Installed cost (৳ / kW)

2026 Bangladesh average: ৳65,000–৳80,000 per kW turn-key.

Tariff offset (৳ / unit)

Use the rate of the top slab your meter currently hits.

Export share (%)

Share of generated units sold back to the grid under net metering.

Monthly savings

৳ 5654

Yearly savings

৳ 68792

Payback

5.1 yrs

Daily generation

23.5 kWh

Upfront cost

৳ 350,000

25-year net return

৳ 1266601

Rooftop solar economics

Does rooftop solar actually pay back in Bangladesh?

Real numbers on system size, monthly savings, payback period, and where the assumptions can be wrong.

The headline numbers

Dhaka averages 4.7 peak-sun-hours — 1 kW of panels generates ~4.7 units a day
A 5 kW residential system saves ~৳5,000–7,000/month and pays back in 5–6 years
Panels carry 25-year warranties; one inverter replacement around year 10

How it works

The basics of rooftop solar in Bangladesh

A 1 kW solar array in Bangladesh produces, on average, 4.5–5 units of electricity per day. The exact number depends on roof orientation, shading, dust, and the time of year. Multiply system size by 4.7 by 30 to get monthly generation; by 365 to get yearly.

Under the BPDB net-metering policy (most recently updated 2024), any generation you don’t consume directly flows into the grid and credits your meter at the retail tariff. A 5 kW residential array can offset around 700 units a month.

1 kW system

~4.7units/day

5 kW system

~700units/month

Avg cost (2026)

৳70Kper kW

Payback math

2026 prices, real-world example

A 5 kW system at ৳70,000/kW = ৳350,000 installed. With ৳67,000 yearly savings at the LT-A 301–400 slab rate, simple payback is ~5.2 years.

Panels carry 25-year linear performance warranties. After payback, you have ~20 years of nearly free energy net of one inverter swap (৳40,000–70,000) around year 10.

Caveats

Where the numbers can be wrong

The process

How to actually install solar (residential)

Find an EPC vendor

Use an installer enlisted by SREDA. Get 2–3 quotes.

Apply to your distribution company

DESCO, DPDC, NESCO, BREB — submit the net-metering application via EPC vendor.

Site survey

The distribution engineer surveys your roof and connection capacity.

Approval (30–60 days)

Wait for the approval letter.

Install + inspect

Installation, post-install inspection, replacement of meter with bi-directional.

Commission

System commissioned; bills now reflect net consumption.

Frequently asked questions

Yes for grid-connected consumers up to 70% of sanctioned load. Residential, commercial, and industrial categories all qualify under SREDA guidelines.

Other calculators

Appliance cost calculator

Enter wattage and daily run-hours for any appliance to see exact cost per day and per month at the current Bangladesh tariff. Covers single appliances and full-home loads.

Watt → unit converter

Quickly convert watts × hours of use into electricity units (kWh) per day or month, then into Taka at the rate that applies to your meter.

Load shedding cost

Compare what an hour of load shedding actually costs when you switch to a diesel or petrol generator, versus what the same units would have cost on the grid.