- A 30 W LED running 10 hours a night uses about 110 units (kWh) a year.
- At Rs 10 per unit that is about Rs 1,095 a year, or about Rs 91 a month per pole.
- In our base model, solar only beats grid on 10-year cost if the all-in tariff goes above about Rs 16.7 per unit.
- With a 5% yearly tariff rise, solar becomes cheaper from about year 13.
- There is no general central subsidy on solar street lights today; MNRE's Atal Jyoti Yojana was shut in April 2020.
The mistake most buyers make
There are actually two. The first is comparing only the pole price: Rs 20,000 for grid against Rs 45,000 for solar, and solar looks silly. The second is the opposite: hearing ‘zero electricity bill’ and assuming solar must win. Both skip half the costs.
Grid poles carry cabling, connection work, a monthly bill and more frequent driver replacements. Solar poles carry a battery that has to be replaced once in the first decade. When you line them all up, the answer depends mostly on three things: how far the cable has to go, what you pay per unit, and how reliable the supply is.
Side-by-side comparison
| What you compare | Solar decorative pole | Grid decorative pole |
|---|---|---|
| Pole + fitting price (indicative) | Rs 35,000 to 95,000 | Rs 15,000 to 50,000 |
| Cable trench | Not needed | Needed; cost varies a lot with soil and surface |
| Grid connection work | Not needed | Needed; small if LT line is close, large if not |
| Monthly energy cost (30 W, 10 h) | Nil | About Rs 75 to 125 at Rs 8 to 14 per unit |
| During power cuts | Keeps working | Dark |
| Big replacement item | Battery at about year 8 to 10 | LED driver every 5 to 7 years (typical) |
| Theft / vandalism risk | Panel and battery are targets | Cable theft in some areas |
| Brightness | Same LED technology; often dimmed after midnight to save battery | Full output all night unless dimming is fitted |
The 10-year numbers (short version)
| Cost item | Solar pole | Grid pole |
|---|---|---|
| Pole and fitting | Rs 45,000 | Rs 20,000 |
| Cable trench (25 m at Rs 250/m) | Rs 0 | Rs 6,250 |
| Grid connection share | Rs 0 | Rs 3,000 |
| Electricity, 10 years at Rs 10/unit | Rs 0 | Rs 10,950 |
| Battery replacement (year 9) | Rs 8,000 | Rs 0 |
| LED/driver replacement (year 6) | Rs 0 | Rs 2,500 |
| Maintenance, 10 years | Rs 5,000 | Rs 8,000 |
| 10-year total | Rs 58,000 | Rs 50,700 |
So on these assumptions grid is about Rs 7,300 cheaper per pole over 10 years. That is the number to beat.
When solar is the better choice
- Long or hard trenching. At Rs 600 per metre and 30 m spacing, the grid pole's 10-year cost rises to about Rs 62,450. Solar wins.
- No LT line nearby. If extending the network costs more than about Rs 7,300 per pole, solar wins even at today's tariff.
- Frequent evening power cuts. A dark road is a safety problem no spreadsheet shows.
- Places where you cannot dig. Finished paver roads, heritage streets, rocky ground, farm roads.
- Long horizons. Over 15 years the two options are almost level even at flat tariffs, and solar pulls ahead if tariffs rise.
When grid is the better choice
- New roads where the cable duct is being laid anyway.
- Dense urban streets with an existing LT network and steady supply.
- Higher wattages (60 W and above), where the solar panel and battery grow large and expensive.
- Shaded sites under big trees or tall buildings, where a panel cannot get enough sun.
Solar in the monsoon
This is the question every Maharashtra buyer asks. A well-sized solar pole is designed for the worst month, not the average. Ask the supplier three things in writing:
- Days of autonomy: how many nights the battery can run without any charging. Three nights is a common tender minimum; ask for more in the Konkan and ghat areas.
- Panel sizing month: the calculation should use July or August sunlight for your district, not the annual average.
- Dimming profile: for example 100% till 11 pm, then 50%. This stretches the battery on cloudy weeks.
Battery chemistry matters too. LiFePO4 batteries handle heat and deep cycling far better than older lead-acid packs, which is why most decorative solar poles now use them.
Quick decision guide
| Your situation | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| LT line along the road, steady supply, normal soil | Grid |
| LT line more than a few hundred metres away | Solar |
| Road already paved, cannot trench | Solar |
| Evening outages of 2+ hours are common | Solar (or grid with backup) |
| High wattage, arterial road | Grid |
| Heavy tree shade | Grid |
References
- MERC Multi-Year Tariff Order for MSEDCL, FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30 (28 March 2025) — summary circular — DCCIA Pune (citing MERC)
- MERC Order dated 25 March 2026 on MSEDCL review petition — summary circular — DCCIA Pune (citing MERC)
- MNRE scraps second phase of AJAY solar streetlights program (27 April 2020) — Mercom India
- IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 3) — Luminaires for Road and Street Lighting — Bureau of Indian Standards
- IEC 60529 — Degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures (IP Code); Indian adoption IS/IEC 60529 — International Electrotechnical Commission / BIS
Frequently Asked Questions
Is solar cheaper than grid for decorative street lights?
Not always. With an existing LT line and about Rs 10 per unit, grid is roughly Rs 7,300 cheaper per pole over 10 years in our model. Solar wins when trenching or grid extension is expensive, when outages are frequent, or over a 13 to 15 year horizon.
Are solar decorative poles as bright as grid ones?
The LED technology is the same, so the same wattage and efficacy give similar light. Solar poles are often set to dim after midnight to save battery, so check the dimming profile.
Will solar street lights work in the Maharashtra monsoon?
Yes, if sized for the worst month. Ask for at least three nights of battery autonomy (more in the Konkan), panel sizing based on July or August sunlight, and a dimming profile.
Is there a subsidy on solar street lights?
There is no general central subsidy now. MNRE's Atal Jyoti Yojana ended in 2020. Some states run their own programmes, so check with your state nodal agency.
30 वॉट की LED स्ट्रीट लाइट का महीने का बिल कितना आता है?
रोज़ 10 घंटे चलने पर लगभग 9 यूनिट महीना। 10 रुपये प्रति यूनिट पर करीब 91 रुपये महीना प्रति पोल।
सोलर पोलची बॅटरी किती वर्षे टिकते?
चांगली LiFePO4 बॅटरी साधारण 8 ते 10 वर्षे टिकते. त्यानंतर बदलावी लागते, ज्याचा खर्च साधारण 5,000 ते 12,000 रुपये येतो.
