Solar System ROI in Pakistan: Net Metering, Payback, and AEDB Compliance
Worked example: a 10 kW commercial rooftop solar system in Lahore. Net metering math, AEDB approval flow, and realistic payback expectations under current NEPRA tariffs.
Commercial solar is now table stakes for Pakistani factories and offices. The question isn't whether, it's what size and how fast it pays back. Here's the math with current NEPRA tariffs.
How net metering works in Pakistan
Under AEDB net-metering rules, a grid-tied solar system exports surplus generation to the utility and gets credit at the same unit tariff you pay. At month-end you settle the net. If you generate more than you consume, the surplus rolls forward.
What this means in practice: every kWh you generate is worth roughly your retail tariff, whether you self-consume it or export it.
Worked example: 10 kW system, Lahore commercial
A modest 10 kW system on a Lahore office rooftop, assuming an average of 4.5 sun-hours per day:
- Annual generation: 10 × 4.5 × 365 = ~16,400 kWh
- At a commercial tariff of PKR 35/kWh: ~PKR 575,000 in annual savings
- System cost (panels + inverter + installation + net-metering): PKR 18–22 lakh depending on inverter brand
- Payback: 3.5–4 years; 20-year savings ~PKR 1.1 crore
AEDB approval flow
The approval is paperwork-heavy but straightforward:
- Apply to your DISCO for a net-metering connection with the AEDB-prescribed form.
- DISCO sends a technical team to inspect the proposed inverter and panel placement.
- You install a bi-directional meter (DISCO supplies; you pay the meter charge).
- NEPRA license issued for systems above 25 kW.
What brands and ratings to specify
Two decisions matter most:
- Panel: We supply LONGi Hi-MO, Jinko Tiger Neo, and Canadian Solar HiKu7. All three are Tier-1 with 25-year linear performance warranty.
- Inverter: Match inverter capacity to peak DC ratio (~1.2× nameplate is common). Specify grid-tied with anti-islanding for net metering compliance.
Don't size for max — size for usage
A common mistake is oversizing: you generate more than you use AND more than net metering will credit, so the marginal panels never pay back. Look at your last 12 months of electricity bills. Match the system to actual annual consumption + 10% buffer, not nameplate load.
Next step
Send us your last electricity bill and we'll size, quote, and run the payback calc with current tariffs.
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