In short: size a 1 kanal home’s solar system by the units on your bill. In Lahore each kW of panels makes about 130 units a month, so divide your average monthly units by 130.
A 1 kanal home using 1,300 to 2,000 units a month on average needs about 10 to 15 kW. Heavy users may need up to 20 kW. Plan for about 70 to 80 sq ft of clear roof per kW, so roughly 1,050 to 1,200 sq ft for 15 kW.
Your system cannot be bigger than your sanctioned load. Under net billing, units you use yourself save about three to four times as much as units you export, so size for your daytime use.
Last updated: 22 September 2026. Production figures are from the European Commission’s PVGIS calculator for Lahore; tariffs are from NEPRA’s February 2026 tariff decision. Sources are listed at the end.
How big is a 1 kanal house?
A kanal is 20 marla. DHA Lahore’s regulations define a marla as 225 sq ft and a kanal as 4,500 sq ft, and most Lahore housing societies count the same way. In some older areas and in land records, the traditional marla of 272.25 sq ft makes a kanal about 5,445 sq ft. A standard 1 kanal plot in DHA measures 50 × 90 ft.
The roof is much smaller than the plot. Setbacks, the stair tower (mumtee), water tanks and shade from parapets all take space, so measure the clear, unshaded roof before choosing a size.
Step 1: turn your units into a system size
Take your last 12 bills and work out the average monthly units. PVGIS data for a south-facing system at a 20-degree tilt in Lahore gives about 1,570 units per kW per year, roughly 130 units per kW per month.
| Average monthly units | Approximate system size |
|---|---|
| 1,000 units | About 8 kW |
| 1,300 units | About 10 kW |
| 1,600 units | About 12 kW |
| 2,000 units | About 15 kW |
| 2,600 units | About 20 kW |
There is no official figure for how much a 1 kanal house uses, and bills vary widely. Air conditioners make the biggest difference: a 1.5-ton inverter AC draws roughly 0.5 to 2 kW while cooling, according to manufacturer specifications, so four ACs running on a summer afternoon can draw several kW between them.
How much a 10, 12, 15 or 20 kW system produces in Lahore
Estimated units per month from PVGIS (south-facing, 20° tilt, 14% system losses). Real output also depends on shade, dust and panel temperature.
| Month | 10 kW | 12 kW | 15 kW | 20 kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1,160 | 1,390 | 1,740 | 2,320 |
| February | 1,210 | 1,450 | 1,820 | 2,420 |
| March | 1,470 | 1,760 | 2,200 | 2,930 |
| April | 1,510 | 1,810 | 2,260 | 3,020 |
| May | 1,520 | 1,830 | 2,280 | 3,050 |
| June | 1,380 | 1,650 | 2,060 | 2,750 |
| July | 1,190 | 1,430 | 1,790 | 2,380 |
| August | 1,200 | 1,440 | 1,800 | 2,400 |
| September | 1,250 | 1,500 | 1,870 | 2,500 |
| October | 1,380 | 1,650 | 2,060 | 2,750 |
| November | 1,230 | 1,470 | 1,840 | 2,460 |
| December | 1,200 | 1,440 | 1,800 | 2,410 |
| Year | 15,700 | 18,800 | 23,500 | 31,400 |
Production dips in July and August with monsoon cloud, which is also when AC use peaks. For a detailed look at one size, see our 10 kW solar system guide for Lahore.
Step 2: check your roof space
Modern panels sold in Pakistan are mostly 580 to 720 watts. A 610 W panel such as LONGi’s Hi-MO 7 measures about 2.28 m × 1.13 m, so the panels alone cover about 45 to 48 sq ft per kW. Tilted rows need gaps so one row does not shade the next in winter, plus walkways for cleaning. Plan on about 70 to 80 sq ft per kW:
| System size | Panels (about 610 W each) | Clear roof needed |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | 17 | About 700 to 800 sq ft |
| 12 kW | 20 | About 850 to 950 sq ft |
| 15 kW | 25 | About 1,050 to 1,200 sq ft |
| 20 kW | 33 | About 1,400 to 1,600 sq ft |
If the roof is short of space, an elevated structure can fit more panels while keeping the roof usable. In DHA, panels on a 1 kanal house can rise at most 10 feet above the roof, and DHA’s approval is needed first. See our guide to solar installation in DHA Lahore.
Step 3: check your sanctioned load and connection
- Sanctioned load: under NEPRA’s rules, a net billing system cannot be bigger than your sanctioned load. A 15 kW system needs at least 15 kW sanctioned. See how to check and increase sanctioned load with LESCO.
- Three-phase: net billing is for three-phase consumers. Homes with a sanctioned load of 5 kW or more are normally on a three-phase connection with a time-of-use (ToU) meter.
- Load extension cost: extending load means a security deposit of Rs 1,220 per kW for urban homes under NEPRA’s Consumer Service Manual. Going from 10 kW to 15 kW, for example, costs 5 × Rs 1,220 = Rs 6,100, plus any charges on the demand notice.
- Fixed charges rise with load: ToU homes pay a fixed charge of Rs 675 per kW per month, calculated on 50% of the sanctioned load or the maximum demand, whichever is higher. At 10 kW sanctioned that is at least Rs 3,375 a month; at 15 kW at least about Rs 5,060. Solar does not reduce this charge, so do not raise your load far beyond what you need.
- Transformer: LESCO does not accept new applications once solar on your transformer reaches 80% of its rating; you can check this on the PITC portal. NEPRA’s Consumer Service Manual also calls for a dedicated transformer, or transformer-sharing charges, for residential loads above 20 kW, except in societies whose load was planned in advance.
Step 4: size for daytime use under net billing
A 1 kanal home on a ToU meter pays Rs 34.53 per unit off-peak and Rs 46.85 per unit at peak, before taxes and monthly adjustments, under NEPRA’s February 2026 tariff decision. Solar produces during the day, which falls in off-peak hours, so every solar unit you use yourself saves about Rs 34.53 plus taxes.
A unit you export is credited at the national average energy purchase price, reported at roughly Rs 8 to Rs 11 per unit when net billing started. A unit used at home is worth about three to four times a unit exported. So:
- If your ACs, pumps and appliances run mostly in the day, sizing close to your average units works well.
- If much of your use is in the evening peak, a very large on-grid system mainly adds cheap exports. Consider a slightly smaller system, moving loads into daylight, or a battery. See our guide to hybrid solar systems in Lahore.
Systems up to 25 kW pay no NEPRA licence fee and, since August 2026, no longer need NEPRA’s concurrence (S.R.O. 1320(I)/2026). For the full rules, read our complete guide to net billing in Pakistan.
Worked example
A 1 kanal house in Lahore averages 1,600 units a month across the year, with most AC use in the afternoon and evening:
- Size: 1,600 ÷ 130 ≈ 12 kW.
- Roof: about 20 panels and 850 to 950 sq ft of clear roof.
- Load: the sanctioned load must be at least 12 kW; if it is 10 kW, extending by 2 kW costs a Rs 2,440 security deposit plus any demand notice charges.
- Output: about 18,800 units a year, from about 1,390 units in January to about 1,830 in May.
This is a planning estimate. A site survey confirms the right size, layout and structure for your house.
Tips for 1 kanal homes
- Keep panels clean. A study in Sargodha found uncleaned panels produced 10.68% less than cleaned ones in December. Lahore’s dust and smog have a similar effect. See our solar panel cleaning guide for Lahore.
- Avoid shade from the mumtee, water tanks and neighbouring houses. A shaded panel can pull down the output of its whole string.
- Use a three-phase inverter sized to the system and within your sanctioned load.
- Run heavy loads in the day where you can: pumps, washing machines, water heaters and pre-cooling rooms.
Frequently asked questions
What size solar system do I need for a 1 kanal house?
Most 1 kanal homes using 1,300 to 2,000 units a month on average need about 10 to 15 kW. Divide your own average monthly units by about 130 for a starting estimate.
How much roof space does a 15 kW solar system need?
About 25 panels of around 610 W, and roughly 1,050 to 1,200 sq ft of clear, unshaded roof including row spacing and walkways.
How many units does a 15 kW solar system produce in Lahore?
About 23,500 units a year according to PVGIS, or roughly 1,960 a month on average, from about 1,740 in January to about 2,280 in May.
Can a 1 kanal house get net billing for 20 kW?
Only if the sanctioned load is at least 20 kW, the connection is three-phase and the transformer has spare capacity.
Is 1 kanal 4,500 or 5,445 square feet?
In DHA Lahore and most housing societies, 1 kanal is 4,500 sq ft (20 marla of 225 sq ft). The traditional marla of 272.25 sq ft gives about 5,445 sq ft.
How much does net billing cost?
With Solar Net Metering, net billing for a 10 kW system costs Rs 160,000 with LESCO and K-Electric, and Rs 200,000 with the other distribution companies. Contact us for a quote for a larger system. See the net metering cost breakdown for Lahore.
اردو خلاصہ
ایک کنال گھر کے سولر سسٹم کا سائز بجلی کے بل کے یونٹس سے طے کریں۔ لاہور میں ہر کلو واٹ سولر ماہانہ اوسطاً تقریباً 130 یونٹ بناتا ہے، اس لیے اوسط ماہانہ یونٹس کو 130 سے تقسیم کریں۔ عام طور پر 1,300 سے 2,000 یونٹ استعمال کرنے والے ایک کنال گھر کو 10 سے 15 کلو واٹ سسٹم درکار ہوتا ہے۔ ہر کلو واٹ کے لیے تقریباً 70 سے 80 مربع فٹ بغیر سائے کی چھت چاہیے۔ سسٹم منظور شدہ لوڈ سے بڑا نہیں ہو سکتا۔ ٹائم آف یوز میٹر والے گھر میں اپنا استعمال کیا گیا ہر سولر یونٹ تقریباً 34.53 روپے بچاتا ہے جبکہ ایکسپورٹ یونٹ کا کریڈٹ تقریباً 8 سے 11 روپے ہے، اس لیے سسٹم دن کے استعمال کے مطابق رکھیں۔
اردو میں مکمل گائیڈ: بجلی کے بل سے سولر سسٹم کا سائز کیسے نکالیں
Planning solar for your 1 kanal home?
Send us your electricity bill and Solar Net Metering will suggest the right system size and layout for your house. Net billing for a 10 kW system with LESCO costs Rs 160,000. Office: 222 Main Boulevard, DHA Phase 6, Lahore.
Sources
- PVGIS (European Commission Joint Research Centre): Lahore, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses, PVGIS-ERA5 2005–2023
- DHA Lahore, Construction and Development Regulations 2026: definitions of marla and kanal; solar height limits
- Marla (unit): the traditional 272.25 sq ft marla
- NEPRA tariff decision, 11 February 2026: uniform residential ToU rates and fixed charges
- NEPRA Consumer Service Manual (revised 2025): security deposit (Annexure IV) and transformer requirements (clause 2.6)
- NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations 2026, S.R.O. 251(I)/2026
- PITC guidelines for installers: sanctioned load, phase and 80% transformer limit
- LONGi Hi-MO 7 module specifications
- Haier Pakistan, 1.5-ton inverter AC specifications
- Frontiers in Energy Research (2022): effect of dust on PV output in Sargodha
Sizes and roof areas are planning estimates; a site survey confirms the right system for your home.