Net metering for rooftop solar: what the 2025 rules say
See the size limit, how settlement works, where solar is mandatory, the application steps and a worked savings example.
What net metering is
Net metering lets a grid-connected solar system supply your own use and send the extra to the grid. A two-way meter counts the units you take from the grid and the units you send back. Your bill uses the net result. It works without batteries.
The rules come from the Net Metering Guideline 2025, approved in August 2025, which replaced the 2018 rules.
What the 2025 guideline allows
| Topic | Rule | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| System size | Up to 100% of your sanctioned load. The old limit was 70%. | The Daily Star, BSS |
| Larger system | Possible by special application | Industry summaries of the guideline |
| Settlement | Every three months, ending in March, June, September and December | The Daily Star, industry summaries |
| Extra export | Carried forward as credit. At the end of each quarter, 90% of net exported electricity is credited to your bank account, mobile wallet or by cheque. The utility keeps 10%. | The Daily Star |
| Equipment | Must meet SREDA and BSTI technical standards | The Daily Star |
| Eligibility | Residential, commercial and industrial. Single-phase consumers are reported to be eligible under the 2025 guideline. | Industry summaries |
Where solar is now mandatory
A revised Power Division circular of December 2025 says net-metered rooftop solar is mandatory for buildings with at least 1,000 square feet of usable roof space, for at least 20 years. For industrial and commercial consumers with an approved load of 10 kW or more, the system must be at least 20% of the approved load. Consumers who raise their load must install solar for the added load. Consumers below 10 kW may install systems as the guideline allows.
How the application usually goes
- Ask your company for its net metering checklist and form.
- Prepare the technical papers: panel and inverter specifications, a single-line diagram and a roof plan. A licensed contractor or engineer usually prepares the drawing.
- Submit the application to your company. It checks that your connection can take two-way flow.
- The company inspects the installation. Grid-tied inverters must stop feeding the grid in an outage, which protects line workers.
- A two-way meter is installed, and your bill shows net units from the next cycle.
Worked example: a 5 kW system
Daily output depends on your site. Use your installer’s estimate. As an example only, assume 4 full-sun hours a day and a performance ratio of 0.8. Output is 5 kW × 4 h × 30 days × 0.8 = 480 units a month.
Take a 3 kW home that uses 600 units a month. Without solar the bill is ৳6,779.85 (energy ৳6,331.00, demand ৳126, VAT 5%). If solar covers 480 units and net import falls to 120 units, the same bill is about ৳948.15. The saving is ৳5,831.70 a month, because the removed units are the ones in the top slabs.
Before you apply
- Check your sanctioned load. The system limit follows it.
- Check for unpaid bills. Industry summaries say an active connection with no arrears is needed.
- Ask the installer for BSTI and SREDA approved equipment.
- If you are applying for a new connection or a load increase, read the new connection page first.
Questions readers ask
What is net metering in Bangladesh?
It is a system where a grid-connected solar system supplies your own use and sends the extra to the grid. A two-way meter counts imports and exports, and your bill uses the net result.
How big can my solar system be?
Under the Net Metering Guideline 2025, up to 100% of your sanctioned load. The old limit was 70%. Ask for a special application if you want a larger system.
How is extra solar power paid?
Extra export is carried forward as credit. At the end of each three-month period, 90% of net exported electricity is credited to your bank account, mobile wallet or by cheque, and the utility keeps 10%, as reported by The Daily Star.
Is rooftop solar mandatory?
Since a December 2025 Power Division circular, net-metered rooftop solar is mandatory for new connections in buildings with at least 1,000 square feet of usable roof space, and for industrial and commercial consumers with 10 kW or more approved load, at 20% of the load.
Do I need a battery?
No. Net metering works with a grid-tied system and a two-way meter, without batteries.
How much will solar save me?
It depends on your output, your use and your top slab. In our example, 480 solar units cut a 600-unit bill from about 6,780 taka to about 948 taka a month, because the removed units were in the top slabs. Test your own numbers in the solar savings calculator.
Sources and updates
Checked on 7 October 2026. Hotlines, fees and rules come from the company, samity and government pages listed here. Fees and steps differ between companies and change over time, so confirm the current figure with your own office before you travel or pay.
- BSS: revised rooftop solar circular, December 2025
- The Daily Star: rooftop solar and the Net Metering Guideline 2025
- BERC: retail tariff order 2026/22 (3 June 2026)
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