Walk into any solar conversation in Bangalore and within minutes you'll hear these three terms: on-grid, off-grid, and hybrid. Most homeowners nod along without fully understanding how different these systems actually are — not just technically, but in terms of cost, subsidy eligibility, what happens when power cuts strike, and what the payback period looks like.
This guide cuts through the confusion. By the end, you'll know exactly which system suits your situation — and why the "best" system depends entirely on your specific needs, location, and priorities.
The fundamental difference: what happens to your solar power?
The three system types are defined by one core question: where does the electricity go when your panels produce more than you're currently using?
On-grid: Surplus goes to the BESCOM grid. You earn export credits.
Off-grid: Surplus charges your batteries. No grid connection.
Hybrid: Surplus first charges batteries; once batteries are full, excess goes to the grid.
Everything else — cost, complexity, backup capability, subsidy eligibility — flows from this single difference.
On-grid solar: the workhorse for Bangalore homes
How it works
Your solar panels connect to a grid-tie inverter, which synchronises with the BESCOM supply and feeds power to your home. During the day, solar powers your home load. Any surplus is exported to the BESCOM grid. At night or on heavily overcast days, your home draws from BESCOM as normal.
A bi-directional (net) meter records both import (what you draw from BESCOM) and export (what you send to the grid). Your monthly bill reflects only the net difference.
Critical technical note: no power during grid outages
An on-grid system shuts down automatically when the grid fails. This is not a flaw — it is a mandatory safety requirement. If your inverter continued generating during a grid outage, the exported power could electrocute BESCOM line workers doing repairs on the network. The grid-tie inverter detects the outage through anti-islanding protection and disconnects within milliseconds.
What this means practically: During a power cut, your on-grid solar system goes dark along with the rest of your neighbourhood. Your panels might be generating bright sunshine outside, but your home gets no power.
For areas with rare, brief outages — most of Bangalore's well-serviced areas — this is a minor inconvenience. For areas with daily load-shedding, it is a significant limitation.
Financials
- System cost (5 kWp): ₹2.5–3.2 lakh (before subsidy)
- After PM Surya Ghar subsidy (3 kWp component): ₹1.7–2.4 lakh effective cost
- BESCOM export tariff: ₹2.93–3.86/unit (depending on subsidy option)
- Payback period: 4–6 years
- Subsidy eligibility: Yes — PM Surya Ghar fully applies
- Net metering: Yes — core mechanism of this system
Best for
Homes in areas with reliable BESCOM supply (most of Bangalore's urban zones), homeowners prioritising lowest cost and fastest payback, anyone wanting to maximise PM Surya Ghar subsidy benefits.
Off-grid solar: complete independence, significant cost
How it works
An off-grid system has no connection to the BESCOM grid whatsoever. Your panels charge a battery bank during the day. Your home runs entirely from the batteries. When batteries are depleted and panels aren't generating (night, heavily cloudy days), your home has no power — unless you also have a generator backup.
The battery bank must be large enough to cover your consumption through the night and any low-generation days. For a home consuming 20 units/day, this typically means 30–40 kWh of battery storage — a substantial and expensive installation.
Financials
- System cost (equivalent 5 kWp with adequate batteries): ₹6–10 lakh
- Battery replacement: Every 5–8 years (lithium), every 3–5 years (lead-acid) — add ₹1.5–3 lakh per replacement cycle
- Subsidy eligibility: None — PM Surya Ghar does not apply to off-grid systems
- Net metering: Not applicable (no grid connection)
- Payback period: 10–15 years, heavily dependent on grid electricity cost saved vs. battery replacement cost
Critical reality check
For a Bangalore homeowner with access to BESCOM, off-grid solar almost never makes financial sense. The cost is 2–3× higher, there is no subsidy, and you bear the full battery replacement burden every few years.
Off-grid solar makes excellent sense for:
- Agricultural pumping in areas with no grid connection
- Remote properties and farmhouses without BESCOM supply
- Areas with 12–15 hours of daily load-shedding where grid supply is meaningless
If you have a functioning BESCOM connection in urban or semi-urban Bangalore, off-grid is not the right choice.
Hybrid solar: the best of both worlds — at a price
How it works
A hybrid system combines on-grid and battery storage. Your panels power your home load first. Surplus charges the battery bank. Once the battery is fully charged, any remaining surplus exports to the BESCOM grid. At night, your home runs from the battery. Only when the battery is depleted do you draw from BESCOM.
Critically: during a grid outage, a hybrid system continues operating. The battery powers your home and the solar panels continue charging it, independent of BESCOM. This is the defining advantage over an on-grid system.
The hybrid inverter
A hybrid system requires a specialised hybrid inverter (also called a multi-mode or storage inverter) that can simultaneously manage three sources: solar panels, battery bank, and grid connection. Quality hybrid inverters from brands like Sungrow, Growatt, Fronius, and SMA are available in India, though at a significant premium over standard on-grid inverters.
Financials
| Component | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| 5 kWp panels | ₹1.8–2.2 lakh |
| Hybrid inverter (5 kW) | ₹60,000–90,000 |
| 10 kWh LiFePO4 battery | ₹80,000–1,20,000 |
| Mounting and installation | ₹30,000–50,000 |
| Total system cost | ₹3.7–4.8 lakh |
After PM Surya Ghar subsidy (up to ₹78,000, applicable to the grid-connected component): effective cost approximately ₹3.0–4.0 lakh.
Payback period: 6–8 years (longer than on-grid due to battery cost, but backup value is real).
Battery sizing for hybrid: practical guide
A 10 kWh battery bank (the most common residential size in Bangalore) provides:
- 6–8 hours of backup for essential loads (fans, lights, router, TV, one refrigerator)
- 4–5 hours of backup including one 1-ton AC
- 2–3 hours of backup including one 1.5-ton AC
If your primary reason for going hybrid is to run AC during power cuts, size the battery accordingly — a 10 kWh bank is the minimum.
Subsidy eligibility
PM Surya Ghar subsidy applies to hybrid systems that meet MNRE guidelines, as they are grid-connected. The subsidy applies to the solar panel component (up to 3 kW capacity, up to ₹78,000). The battery cost is not subsidised under the current scheme.
Head-to-head comparison
| Factor | On-grid | Off-grid | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grid connection | Yes | No | Yes |
| Works during power cuts | No | Yes (battery) | Yes (battery) |
| PM Surya Ghar subsidy | Yes | No | Yes (panel component) |
| Net metering / export | Yes | No | Yes (after battery full) |
| System cost (5 kWp equivalent) | ₹2.5–3.2L | ₹6–10L | ₹3.7–4.8L |
| After subsidy | ₹1.7–2.4L | ₹6–10L (no subsidy) | ₹3.0–4.0L |
| Payback period | 4–6 years | 10–15 years | 6–8 years |
| Battery replacement cost | None | ₹1.5–3L every 5–8 years | ₹80K–1.2L every 8–12 years |
| Maintenance complexity | Low | High | Medium |
| Best for | Reliable grid areas | No-grid locations | Moderate outage areas |
How to decide: four questions
Question 1: How many hours per day does your area experience power cuts?
- Less than 1 hour/day → On-grid. Outages are too infrequent to justify the hybrid premium.
- 1–4 hours/day → Hybrid makes sense. Battery provides meaningful backup value.
- More than 6 hours/day → Hybrid with large battery bank, or assess whether your load can be managed with a smaller backup set.
- No reliable grid at all → Off-grid (or generator + small solar hybrid).
Question 2: What is your budget?
- ₹2–3 lakh effective cost → On-grid after subsidy.
- ₹3–4.5 lakh effective cost → Hybrid with modest battery (7–10 kWh).
- ₹4.5 lakh and above → Hybrid with larger battery (15–20 kWh) for more extensive backup.
Question 3: Is solar ROI your primary goal, or is backup power equally important?
If ROI is primary → On-grid. Lower cost, faster payback, same annual generation and savings.
If backup is equally important → Hybrid. You pay a premium for the peace of mind.
Question 4: Are you planning to add an EV?
If yes, consider a hybrid system from the start. EV charging at home creates exactly the kind of large battery-friendly load that makes a hybrid's battery cycle economics work better. You charge the car from stored solar and avoid peak-tariff grid power.
The Bangalore-specific answer
For most Bangalore homes in well-served urban areas (most of the city), on-grid solar is the financially superior choice. BESCOM supply reliability in Bangalore urban is among the best in Karnataka. Outages are measured in hours per month, not per day.
For areas on the outskirts — Devanahalli, parts of Anekal, Kanakapura Road beyond BBMP limits — where 2–4 hour load-shedding is more common, hybrid solar offers real value.
Off-grid is for farms, remote properties, and agricultural applications — almost never for a Bangalore residential connection.
Sunvana Energy installs all three system types across Bangalore and Karnataka. Tell us your situation — your area, your current outage frequency, your consumption, and your budget — and we'll recommend the right system without overselling.
MNRE Empanelled | BESCOM Approved Vendor | Residential, Commercial & Agricultural Solar
System costs are indicative as of mid-2026 and vary by brand, specification, and site conditions. Subsidy eligibility as per PM Surya Ghar scheme guidelines. Always get a written site-specific proposal before committing.