Solar lead generation in India: where leads come from, what they cost and how to qualify them
Solar lead generation in India has become crowded. With the PM Surya Ghar scheme pushing rooftop solar into everyday conversation, homeowners now see ads from a dozen installers, get calls from lead sellers and fill in forms they forget about an hour later. More enquiries are available than ever, but so is more junk, and the cheapest lead is rarely the cheapest installation.
This guide is for solar EPCs, installers and dealers who want a steady pipeline they can plan around. It covers where solar leads actually come from, how the channels compare on cost and quality, whether to buy leads, and a simple way to qualify every enquiry before you send an engineer to a rooftop. It draws on what we see running campaigns for 30+ solar EPCs and manufacturers across India.
What a solar lead really is (and why cheap ones cost more)
A lead is not a phone number. For rooftop solar, a useful lead is a person who owns the roof, lives in your service area, pays a bill large enough to make solar worthwhile and wants to talk in the next few months. For commercial solar, it's a decision-maker at a factory, warehouse, school or hospital with a real roof and a real power bill.
Everything else is noise that eats your sales team's day. That's why we judge channels on three numbers, not one:
- Cost per lead: what you pay for an enquiry.
- Cost per site visit: what you pay for a survey that actually happens.
- Cost per installation: the number that decides whether marketing is paying for itself.
A channel with leads at half the price can still lose money if only a handful of them pick up the phone. Track all three from day one, even in a simple Google Sheet.
Solar lead generation channels in India compared
Most installers get leads from a mix of these sources. The cost and quality notes are general patterns, not fixed numbers; they move with your city, season and offer.
| Channel | Volume | Lead quality | Cost pattern | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta lead ads (Facebook, Instagram) | High | Mixed; depends on form and targeting | Low to medium per lead | Residential rooftop at scale |
| Google Search ads | Medium | High; people are already searching | Higher per lead | Ready-to-buy homeowners and businesses |
| Google Business Profile and Maps | Steady | High | Mostly time, not ad spend | Local trust and "solar near me" searches |
| Referrals from past customers | Low to medium | Very high | Low; a thank-you reward at most | Every installer |
| Channel partners (electricians, architects, builders) | Medium | High | Commission per installation | Dealers and growing EPCs |
| SEO and website content | Grows over time | High | Upfront effort, low ongoing cost | Long-term pipeline |
| Bought or shared leads | Whatever you pay for | Often low; usually sold to several installers | Fixed price per lead | Filling gaps, with caution |
No single channel is enough. Ads bring volume, Google brings intent, and referrals and partners bring the leads that close fastest.
Paid ads: the fastest way to build volume
Meta lead ads are where most residential solar volume comes from. Homeowners aren't searching for solar every day, but a short video of a local installation and a clear subsidy message catches them while they scroll. When campaigns are set up well, our rooftop solar leads run at ₹60–80 per qualified enquiry, and solar clients at scale typically see 20–30 leads a day and 5–10 site visits a week. Your numbers will depend on your city, offer and follow-up.
Google Search ads work differently. Someone typing "rooftop solar installer in Gurgaon" or "solar panel price for home" is already shopping, so leads cost more but close better. Keep keywords tight, add negatives such as "job", "course" and "dealership", and target only the areas your team can serve. Our Google Ads team sets up call tracking so you know which keywords bring site visits, not just clicks.
For the full Meta setup, including the qualifying questions to put in your form, read our step-by-step guide to Facebook ads for solar installers.
Free and low-cost sources most installers under-use
Ads stop the day you stop paying. These sources keep working and make your ads cheaper by building trust:
- Google Business Profile. Keep your categories, service areas, photos and hours accurate, and post real installation photos every week. Ask every happy customer for a review on the day of commissioning, when they're most pleased.
- Referrals. A homeowner who just got their first low bill is your best salesperson. Send a WhatsApp message a month after installation with a simple referral offer, such as a free cleaning visit or a service extension.
- Channel partners. Local electricians, architects, interior designers, builders and RWA office-bearers meet people planning solar before anyone else does. Give them a clear commission structure and a single contact person.
- Society and RWA camps. In Delhi NCR, a short solar information session in a housing society or market association often produces a cluster of surveys on the same street, which also cuts your travel time.
- Your website. Pages for each city you serve, plus helpful guides on the subsidy, system sizes and maintenance, bring in searchers month after month.
We've written a practical playbook on how to get solar leads in Delhi NCR that goes deeper into the local tactics.
Should you buy solar leads?
Lead-selling platforms and call centres will offer you solar leads at a fixed price. Sometimes they help fill a quiet month. More often, installers find the same lead was sold to several competitors, the person barely remembers enquiring, or the details are out of date.
If you do buy leads, protect yourself:
- Ask whether leads are exclusive or shared, and how old they are when delivered.
- Ask how the lead was collected and whether the person agreed to be contacted.
- Start with a small test batch and track cost per site visit, not cost per lead.
- Agree on replacement terms for wrong numbers and people outside your area.
Over time, most growing EPCs find that generating their own leads gives them better quality and more control. The ad account, the data and the learning all stay with you.
How to qualify solar leads before a site visit
Every site visit costs fuel, an engineer's half-day and a sales slot. A two-minute qualification call saves most of that. Score each lead out of 10:
| Question | Strong answer | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Do you own the property? | Yes, or family-owned | 3 |
| What is your monthly electricity bill? | Above ₹3,000 for homes; any significant bill for businesses | 2 |
| What type of roof is it? | RCC flat roof with clear space | 2 |
| Is the property in our service area? | Yes, within your installation zone | 2 |
| When do you want to install? | Within three months | 1 |
Book a survey straight away for 8–10. Nurture 5–7 on WhatsApp with installation videos and subsidy updates, then call again in a few weeks. Politely close anything below 5. Write the score into your sheet or CRM so you can see which channels bring the high scorers.
For commercial leads, add questions about sanctioned load, roof ownership (owned or leased premises) and who signs off the purchase.
Speed, follow-up and the subsidy conversation
Solar buyers often enquire with two or three installers at once and go with whoever responds first and sounds trustworthy. Call new leads within ten minutes in working hours, send a WhatsApp message if they don't answer, and try at least three times over two days.
The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana subsidy is usually the first thing homeowners ask about. Central assistance for homes is currently up to ₹78,000 for systems of 3 kW and above, with lower amounts for 1 kW and 2 kW, and some states add their own support. Rules, amounts and vendor requirements can change, so check pmsuryaghar.gov.in before every campaign and every quote. Explain the steps honestly, say eligibility depends on the official rules and never promise free solar or a guaranteed subsidy.
Build a pipeline you can predict
A predictable solar pipeline usually looks like this: Meta ads for volume, Google Search for high-intent buyers, a strong Google profile that makes both cheaper, and referrals and partners on top. Review the numbers weekly, move budget towards the channels with the lowest cost per installation, and refresh ad creatives often.
You can see how this works for real installers in our solar case studies, covering Solarxp, Sungrid, Skynxt Solar and RK Solar. If you'd like a team to run it for you, our solar marketing agency starts with a 90-day sprint, then moves to a flexible arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to generate solar leads in India?
Combine channels. Meta lead ads bring residential volume, Google Search ads catch people already looking, Google Business Profile builds local trust, and referrals and channel partners bring the leads that close fastest. Judge each channel on cost per installation, not cost per lead.
How much does a solar lead cost in India?
It varies by city, season, channel and how strictly you qualify. Our well-run rooftop solar campaigns deliver qualified enquiries at ₹60–80 each. Google Search leads usually cost more but convert better, while referrals cost very little.
Is it worth buying solar leads from lead sellers?
Test carefully. Bought leads are often shared with several installers or out of date. Start with a small batch, ask if leads are exclusive and how they were collected, and measure cost per site visit before buying more.
How do I qualify solar leads quickly?
Ask five questions on the first call: do they own the property, what is their monthly bill, what roof type they have, whether they are in your service area and when they want to install. Book surveys for strong answers and nurture the rest on WhatsApp.
Can solar installers use the PM Surya Ghar subsidy in marketing?
Yes, if the claims are accurate. State what the scheme currently offers, say that eligibility depends on official rules, avoid government logos and never promise free solar. Check pmsuryaghar.gov.in for the latest figures before you advertise.