Net Metering in India, Explained Simply

Your solar panels make the most power in the middle of the day — often more than your home uses at that moment. So where does the extra go? Into the grid, where it earns you credits. That's net metering, and it's the quiet hero of rooftop solar economics.

The one-sentence version

Net metering lets you export surplus solar power to the grid during the day and draw it back at night, paying only for your net consumption at the end of the billing cycle.

How it works, step by step

1. During the day, your panels generate power. Your home uses what it needs.
2. Any surplus flows to the grid, and your meter records it as an export credit.
3. At night (or on cloudy days), you draw power from the grid as usual.
4. At the end of the month, your bill is calculated on (units imported − units exported).

If you export more than you import, many states carry the credit forward to the next month.

A simple illustration

Instead of paying for 380 units, you pay for 20. That's the magic.

Net metering vs gross metering

• Net metering — you offset your own consumption first, then export the surplus. Best for most homes.
• Gross metering — all your generation is sold to the grid at a fixed feed-in tariff, and you buy all your consumption separately. Sometimes better for large exporters.

For nearly all residential rooftops, net metering gives the better savings because you avoid buying expensive grid units.

Getting connected

Net-metering approval is granted by your local DISCOM after a technical inspection. The application, paperwork and coordination are exactly the kind of thing that slows people down — which is why your Brightly project manager handles the entire process for you.

Bottom line

Net metering turns your roof into a two-way power station and is a big part of why solar payback is so fast in India. Want to see your numbers? Try the savings calculator or get free quotes.