Solar FAQ India

Question 1

What is Son of Surya?

Accepted Answer

Son of Surya is an India-first solar and renewable-energy venture founded by Ninad. It provides solar education, digital tools, and practical guidance to help Indian farmers, homeowners, and communities make smarter renewable-energy decisions. Son of Surya is being built step by step — beginning with solar knowledge and digital tools, and developing toward a complete engineered, designed, and commissioned solar company.

Question 2

Who founded Son of Surya?

Accepted Answer

Son of Surya was founded by Ninad, a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering who is currently studying Renewable Energy Systems in Germany. His vision is to make clean energy a major trend of the future, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and coal, and help farmers and communities across India benefit from renewable energy.

Question 3

What does Son of Surya provide?

Accepted Answer

Son of Surya provides: (1) A Solar Digital Library — 30 practical PDF guides (8 free foundation guides, the rest in-depth paid guides) on rooftop solar, solar pumps, PM Surya Ghar subsidies, EPC quotation evaluation, and more. (2) A free Solar Savings Calculator to estimate system size, cost, savings, and payback period. (3) A Solar Project Passport — a free self-assessment tool and an engineer-verified project report for DISCOM submission. (4) A curated shop of solar gadgets and accessories suited to Indian conditions. All tools and guides are designed for plain-language understanding — not just engineers.

Question 4

How does the Solar Savings Calculator work?

Accepted Answer

The Solar Savings Calculator at sonofsurya.com/solar-calculator asks for your state, customer type (residential, commercial, or agricultural), monthly electricity bill, and available roof or land area. It then estimates your recommended system size, expected annual generation, approximate installation cost, applicable PM Surya Ghar subsidy, monthly savings, payback period, and CO₂ saved. All results are estimates based on standard solar irradiance data and typical Indian tariff rates — they are intended as guidance, not a guaranteed quotation.

Question 5

Can Son of Surya help determine the required solar capacity for my home or farm?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Solar Savings Calculator provides an estimated system size based on your electricity consumption and available area. For a more detailed and site-specific assessment, the Solar Project Passport (free self-assessment or engineer-verified) provides a full capacity recommendation, roof layout, and equipment list tailored to your exact location and requirements.

Question 6

What information is needed for a solar assessment?

Accepted Answer

For the free Solar Savings Calculator, you need: your state, customer type, monthly electricity bill (in ₹), and approximate available roof or land area (in sq ft or sq m). For the Engineer-Verified Solar Project Passport, you also need: site photos (roof or land from multiple angles), your latest electricity bill (last 3 months preferred), photos of your electricity meter and distribution board (DB), and optionally a Google Maps satellite view link of your site.

Question 7

Can the digital tools replace a professional engineer or site survey?

Accepted Answer

No. The Solar Savings Calculator and the free Solar Project Passport are estimation and guidance tools. They are based on the information you provide and standard solar data — they cannot account for site-specific factors like shading from nearby buildings or trees, roof structural condition, local grid voltage, or DISCOM-specific requirements. For a system that will be installed and connected to the grid, a professional site survey and engineer verification are still required. The Engineer-Verified Passport includes engineer review, but a physical site visit by a local installer is always recommended before final installation.

Question 8

What is a Solar Project Passport?

Accepted Answer

The Solar Project Passport is a structured solar assessment document for your home, farm, or business. The free version is an instant self-assessment based on the information you enter — it gives you an estimate of system size, generation, cost, PM Surya Ghar subsidy eligibility, and a basic equipment list. The Engineer-Verified Passport is reviewed and stamped by a solar engineer and includes a satellite roof layout, shadow analysis, Single Line Diagram (SLD), DISCOM-ready planset, final Bill of Materials with ALMM-listed equipment, product datasheets, installation and maintenance guide, and an approximate project quotation.

Question 9

How can I understand or compare an EPC quotation?

Accepted Answer

An EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) quotation from a solar installer can be difficult to evaluate without technical knowledge. Son of Surya's digital guides include a dedicated EPC Quotation Evaluation Guide that explains what each line item means, what equipment specifications to check (panel wattage, inverter brand, warranty terms, ALMM listing), what to watch out for (low-quality panels, missing earthing, no AMC), and how to compare quotes from multiple installers on a like-for-like basis. The Engineer-Verified Passport also includes an approximate project quotation that you can use as a benchmark.

Question 10

How do solar subsidies work in India?

Accepted Answer

The main central government subsidy is the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which offers ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW, so up to ₹78,000 (₹85,800 in hill and north-eastern states) for residential customers. The subsidy is disbursed directly to your bank account after installation and DISCOM net-metering approval. For farmers, under PM-KUSUM the centre and state share the cost of a solar pump, so the farmer usually pays at most 40% (20% in hill and north-eastern states). Many states offer additional subsidies on top of central schemes. Our Subsidy Guides at sonofsurya.com/subsidy-guides cover both schemes in detail, including step-by-step application instructions based on official MNRE and state DISCOM sources.

Question 11

Can Son of Surya guarantee subsidy approval?

Accepted Answer

No. Subsidy approval is decided by your DISCOM and the relevant government authority — not by Son of Surya. We provide accurate, official-source-based information about subsidy eligibility criteria and application processes. The Engineer-Verified Passport prepares DISCOM-compliant technical documents to support your application, but approval depends on your DISCOM's assessment, your system meeting eligibility criteria, and government scheme availability at the time of application.

Question 12

How can farmers use solar?

Accepted Answer

Farmers can use solar in several ways: (1) Solar water pumps — replace diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps for irrigation, significantly reducing fuel costs. Under PM-KUSUM the farmer usually pays at most 40% of the pump cost (20% in hill and north-eastern states). (2) Solar fencing — protect crops from animals using solar-powered electric fencing. (3) Agri-solar (agrivoltaics) — install solar panels above crops on suitable land, generating electricity while the land continues to be farmed. (4) Rooftop solar on farm buildings — generate electricity for farm operations and sell excess to the grid. Son of Surya's Farmer Solar Guide covers all these options in detail.

Question 13

What are rooftop, agricultural, ground-mounted, and floating solar?

Accepted Answer

Rooftop solar: panels installed on the roof of a home, business, or farm building. The most common type for residential and commercial customers. Agricultural solar (agrivoltaics): panels installed above or alongside crops on farmland, allowing simultaneous electricity generation and farming. Ground-mounted solar: panels installed on open land using a ground-mounting structure. Used for larger systems where rooftop space is insufficient. Floating solar: panels installed on floating platforms on water bodies such as reservoirs, ponds, or lakes. An emerging technology in India that reduces water evaporation and land use. Son of Surya's long-term vision includes all four types.

Question 14

How can I become a volunteer or contribute to Son of Surya?

Accepted Answer

Son of Surya welcomes students, engineers, researchers, designers, developers, content creators, sustainability enthusiasts, and rural-development volunteers. You can fill in the volunteer form at sonofsurya.com/about — sharing your name, location, education, skills, area of interest, and why you want to contribute. Please note that volunteering with Son of Surya does not constitute employment, and no salary or equity is offered through the volunteer programme. We are building a community of people who care about solar and rural India.

Question 15

What is the difference between the Free Passport and the Engineer-Verified Passport?

Accepted Answer

The Free Solar Passport is an instant self-assessment based on the information you enter. It gives you an estimate of system size, generation, cost, PM Surya Ghar subsidy, and a basic equipment list — useful for understanding your options and comparing installer quotes. It is not engineer-verified and cannot be submitted to your DISCOM. The Engineer-Verified Passport is reviewed and stamped by a solar engineer. It includes a satellite roof layout, shadow analysis, Single Line Diagram (SLD), DISCOM-ready planset, final Bill of Materials with ALMM-listed equipment, product datasheets, installation and maintenance guide, and an approximate project quotation. It is delivered as a PDF in 5–7 working days and includes one free revision if your DISCOM requests changes.

Question 16

Can I submit the Free Passport to my DISCOM?

Accepted Answer

No. The Free Passport is an estimate based on the information you provide. It is not engineer-verified and does not include the technical documents (SLD, DISCOM-format planset, engineer stamp) required for DISCOM submission. To submit documents to your DISCOM for net metering or subsidy approval, you need the Engineer-Verified Passport, which includes all DISCOM-required documents with an engineer's stamp.

Question 17

How long does the Engineer-Verified Passport take?

Accepted Answer

The Engineer-Verified Passport is delivered as a PDF in 5–7 working days after we receive all your documents. If our engineer needs additional information, we will contact you by email or WhatsApp. The turnaround clock starts once all required uploads are received.

Question 18

What are the Son of Surya digital guides?

Accepted Answer

Our digital guides are practical PDF documents written specifically for the Indian solar market. They cover topics like how to go solar as a homeowner, how to apply for PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM subsidies, how to evaluate EPC quotations, and how to use solar for farming. Each guide is written in plain language with real Indian examples, prices, and government scheme details.

Question 19

Is the Solar Savings Calculator free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Solar Savings Calculator at sonofsurya.com/solar-calculator is completely free. Enter your state, customer type, monthly electricity bill, and available roof area to get an instant estimate of system size, generation, cost, subsidy, monthly savings, payback period, and CO₂ saved. Results are estimates and should be treated as guidance — professional verification may still be required.

Question 20

How do I track my physical order?

Accepted Answer

After you pay, Ninad confirms your order on WhatsApp or email and sends the courier tracking number when it ships. Lost the message? Ask Suryaputra (the chat button on every page) or email hello@sonofsurya.com with your order number (it starts with SOS-).

Question 21

How are digital guides delivered?

Accepted Answer

Free foundation guides download instantly after you enter your name and email. Paid guides and packs are emailed to you as PDFs once your UPI payment is confirmed, usually the same day. Keep that email: it is your copy. If you lose it, email us your order number and we will resend it.

Question 22

How can I contact you?

Accepted Answer

Use Suryaputra, the chat assistant on every page, for quick answers. It hands you over to Ninad on WhatsApp when a person is needed. You can also email hello@sonofsurya.com, use the Contact page, or message us on Instagram (@son.of.surya._). We usually reply within 1–2 working days.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Son of Surya

Solar Calculator

Solar Project Passport

Solar for Farmers

Volunteering & Contributing

Passport & Planset Details

Guides & Library

Orders & Delivery

Contact & Support

Still have a question?