Solar EPC
Solar EPC is the delivery of a photovoltaic plant — rooftop or ground-mount — as one contract covering engineering (feasibility, shadow analysis, sizing, structure, electrical design), procurement (modules, inverters, structure, balance of system) and construction (installation, DISCOM net-metering and CEIG approvals, commissioning), usually followed by an O&M contract.
Why it matters on an MEPF project
A solar plant is bought once and judged for twenty-five years, and the decisions that decide the yield are made before a module is bought: the capacity basis (consumption and sanctioned load, not roof area), the structure on the roof, the module and inverter selection, and who files the net-metering application and when. EPC puts those in one contract with one accountable party.
The commercial trap is rupees per kilowatt. Two proposals at the same rate can differ on module wattage, structure type, approvals scope, monitoring and the performance guarantee — the guarantee that matters is a generation or performance-ratio figure with a remedy, not a brochure sentence.
How it's specified in practice
| Parameter | Typical / working position | Governing reference |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | Shadow analysis, sizing to consumption and sanctioned load, structure, SLD | IEC 61215/61730 modules; IEC 62109 inverters |
| Procurement | Tier-1 modules (ALMM where required), inverters, structure, BOS | MNRE ALMM |
| Construction | Installation, net-metering and CEIG, commissioning with DISCOM inspection | DISCOM connection standard; CEA |
| O&M | Cleaning, monitoring, servicing, performance-ratio reporting | Contract PR guarantee |
Common mistakes
- Sizing to the roof rather than to consumption; ignoring the sanctioned load cap.
- Net-metering applied for after installation.
- Old roof not assessed for the array load.
- Buying on ₹/kWp alone without a measurable performance guarantee.
Related on this site
One of 68 working definitions in the MEPF & solar engineering glossary. The buying side of the same decisions is in the buyer's guides; the numbers are in the calculators.
Frequently asked
What does a solar EPC contract include?
Design and engineering, supply of modules, inverters, structure and balance of system, installation, the net-metering and (where applicable) CEIG approvals, and commissioning through the DISCOM inspection to the first net bill. O&M is usually a separate contract that follows.
How is a solar EPC proposal evaluated?
On the capacity basis, the yield assumptions, the module and inverter specification, the structure design, the approvals scope and the performance guarantee — before the price per kilowatt.
Standards referenced: IEC 61215 / 61730 · IEC 62109 · MNRE ALMM · CEA & DISCOM net-metering