Commercial · Faisalabad, Lahore, Punjab
Commercial Solar Power Systems for Shops, Plazas and Commercial Buildings
Short answer
Commercial solar power systems suit shops, plazas and offices well because most of their electricity is used in daylight, when the panels are producing. Under net billing, each unit of solar you use directly saves your full commercial tariff, so a system sized to your daytime load is usually the best investment. The harder questions in a plaza are about roof rights, multiple meters and who pays, and those need to be settled before design.
This guide covers the commercial side: tariffs, load patterns, plaza ownership issues and how to plan a system. For factories, see our page on industrial and commercial solar EPC.
Why commercial buildings suit solar
Most shops, showrooms, clinics, offices and plazas open in the morning and close in the evening. Their big loads, especially air conditioning, lighting, refrigeration and computers, run through the hottest, sunniest hours. That match between solar output and usage is the main reason commercial solar works.
Compare that with a typical home, where much of the load comes at night. A home needs a battery to use its solar after sunset. A shop that closes at 8 PM may use most of its solar output directly, with little or no battery.
Solar for shops and plazas
Daytime load
Matches solar output well
Grid
Net billing file prepared and followed up by us
Commercial tariffs: what to know
Commercial consumers in Punjab are billed under the A-2 commercial tariff of their distribution company (FESCO, LESCO, GEPCO, MEPCO or IESCO). In outline, from the FESCO published tariff:
- Commercial connections are split by sanctioned load, with a separate category for loads of 5 kW and above.
- A fixed monthly charge applies on top of the per-unit rate.
- Time-of-use (TOU) metering applies to many larger commercial connections, with a higher peak rate in the evening and a lower off-peak rate.
What this means for solar:
- Each solar unit used directly saves the full per-unit rate, including the taxes and surcharges that ride on it.
- Solar does not remove the fixed charge. That stays on your bill whatever your solar output.
- Peak hours are in the evening, when solar has stopped. If your business runs heavy loads into the evening peak, a battery can shift some midday solar into peak hours, where each unit is worth the most.
To understand your own numbers, read your bill line by line with our guide on how to read your electricity bill before going solar.
Net billing for commercial users
New solar connections in Pakistan now come under NEPRA's net billing rules, notified on 9 February 2026. The key points for a shop or plaza:
- Units you import are billed at your normal tariff; units you export are credited at a much lower rate, linked to the national average energy purchase price.
- System size cannot exceed your sanctioned load.
- Net billing is available to three-phase 400 V or 11 kV consumers. A single-phase shop that wants to export may need a three-phase connection first.
- Systems up to 25 kW are approved by the DISCO; larger systems need NEPRA concurrence and a one-time fee per kW.
Because exports earn so much less than imports cost, the rule for commercial design is simple: size for self-consumption, not for export. Full details are in our net metering and net billing guide.
Paperwork included. We prepare, submit and follow up the full net billing application with your DISCO for our customers.
Load profile: the first thing we look at
Before choosing panels, look at how the building uses power through the day and the week.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Opening hours, and are you open on Sundays? | Closed days mean solar output is exported at the low rate, unless stored |
| What runs at midday? | ACs, chillers, cold storage and lifts are ideal solar loads |
| What runs after sunset? | Evening loads need a battery or will come from the grid |
| Is there a generator? | It can be integrated into a hybrid design for outages |
| Single-phase or three-phase supply? | Affects inverter choice and net billing eligibility |
| Sanctioned load and any MDI charges? | Sets the size limit; MDI applies to some larger connections |
Our guide to three-phase vs single-phase inverters explains why most commercial buildings use three-phase inverters.
Plazas and multi-tenant buildings: the practical issues
A standalone shop owner can usually decide alone. In a plaza, several parties may have a claim on the roof and the meters. Sort these out first.
1. Who owns the roof?
In many plazas, the roof belongs to the building owner or a management committee, not to individual shop owners. Get written permission for the panel area, structure fixings and cable routes before any design work. If the roof is shared, agree in writing how space is divided.
2. Which meter will the solar feed?
Each shop usually has its own meter. A solar system normally connects behind one meter and supplies only that connection. Options include:
- One system per meter, each sized to that shop's load and roof share.
- A system on the common-area meter, supplying lifts, corridor lighting, water pumps and the guard room. This often suits plaza management well, because common loads run all day.
- A larger owner-occupied connection, where one business occupies most of the building.
Moving power between separate meters is not normally allowed, so plan the system around the connection that will use it.
3. Who pays and who benefits?
If a tenant pays for solar on the owner's roof, agree in writing what happens when the lease ends: does the system stay, move or get bought out? If the owner installs it, agree how the benefit reaches tenants.
4. Roof structure and access
Plaza roofs often carry water tanks, satellite dishes, generators and AC outdoor units. An elevated structure can put panels above these and keep walkways clear. See L2, L3 and elevated solar structures. Shading from neighbouring taller buildings also needs checking at the survey.
Choosing the system type
- On-grid suits businesses with steady daytime load and reliable grid supply. It has no backup during outages.
- Hybrid with battery suits businesses that need backup, have evening loads, or want to use solar during peak hours.
- Hybrid with generator integration suits larger premises that already rely on a generator during long outages.
Our guide to hybrid vs on-grid vs off-grid compares them. For typical system sizes and pricing, see our solar system price in Pakistan page, and use the solar calculator for a first estimate.
How Solar Works handles commercial projects
Solar Works Pakistan designs commercial systems in-house, with dedicated AutoCAD engineers, and installs with its own teams. Our projects start at about 6 kW and go up to megawatt scale. We have served 300+ customers, including 50+ industrial clients, and work across Punjab.
Every project starts with 12 months of bills and a site survey (normally free), followed by load assessment, engineering design and a detailed quotation with BOQ listing brand, model, quantity and warranty for each item. See what happens during a free site survey. Small projects normally take about a week to install, subject to payment, equipment availability and site readiness. Learn how to check any quotation line by line in our solar quotation comparison guide.
Get today's price or a free site survey
Send us 12 months of bills for the connection you want to solarise, your opening hours, and photos of the roof.
- WhatsApp or call: 0336 666 4321
- Email: info@solarworks.pk
- Head office: Main Boulevard, Sargodha Rd, Block F FDA City, Faisalabad
- Lahore branch: 2nd Floor, Jeff Heights, Gulberg, Lahore
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, daily
- Service area: all of Punjab. See our Faisalabad and Lahore pages, or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it for a shop?
Often, yes, because shops use most of their power in daylight. Each unit of solar used directly saves your full commercial tariff. The value depends on your load, tariff and roof space, so start with 12 months of bills.
Can a plaza install one solar system for all shops?
Usually not across separate meters. A solar system normally supplies one connection. Plazas often install one system per shop meter, or one on the common-area meter for lifts, pumps and corridor lights.
Do I need permission to install solar on a plaza roof?
If you do not own the roof, yes. Get written permission from the building owner or management committee for the panel area, fixings and cable routes before design begins.
Does solar remove the fixed charge on a commercial bill?
No. The fixed monthly charge stays on your bill. Solar reduces the units you buy, which lowers the variable part of the bill.
Do commercial customers need a battery?
Not always. If most of your load runs in daylight and the grid is reliable, an on-grid system may be enough. A battery helps with outages, evening loads and peak-hour rates.
Can a single-phase shop get net billing?
The 2026 regulations refer to three-phase 400 V or 11 kV consumers. A single-phase shop that wants to export may need to upgrade to three-phase first. A self-use system can still reduce the bill without export.
Sources
- FESCO, Electricity Tariff (A-2 commercial categories, fixed charges and time-of-use)
- Net billing facts are carried over from our net metering and net billing guide, which lists its own sources, including the NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026, SRO 251(I)/2026: https://ke.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/8.-NEPRA-Prosumer-Regulations-SRO-251I2026-09-02-26.pdf