Solar for garment units in Tirupur and Tamil Nadu
Sewing floors, steam presses, compressors and lighting run through the day shift, so a garment unit's load follows the solar curve. A plant sized to that load cuts the power bill and gives you metered clean-energy data for buyer audits.
Why garment units suit solar
Single-shift and two-shift units use most of their power between 8 am and 6 pm, the hours a rooftop plant produces. Each unit used on site on LT III-B saves ₹7.45 after the network charge.
Sundays and holidays are the catch: output on those days is exported at a low feed-in rate. We size the plant so weekday use absorbs nearly all of it, and allow for the rest in the payback.
Many global apparel brands ask suppliers to report and cut emissions from the electricity they buy. Metered generation from your own roof is the most direct evidence you can show an auditor. Knitting, dyeing and garmenting units in Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode and Karur mostly sit under metal-sheet roofs, which suit solar once purlins and sheets are checked. For spinning and processing, see solar for textile mills.
What a 100 kWp plant saves a garment unit
A 100 kWp plant makes about 1,44,000 units a year. In this example 85% is used on site on working days and 15% is exported on Sundays and holidays.
| Use | Units a year | Value per unit (₹) | Value a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used on site (85%) | 1,22,400 | 7.45 | about ₹9.1 lakh |
| Exported (15%) | 21,600 | 2.57 | about ₹0.6 lakh |
Total about ₹9.1 lakh a year after O&M; plant cost ₹45–50 lakh, simple payback about 5.0–5.5 years. Indicative, year one: 1,440 units per kWp a year, output used on site unless shown, O&M at ₹600 per kWp a year, before tax benefits and tariff changes. Plant costs are indicative; the final price follows a site survey. Network charges: TNERC GISS order No. 8 of 2021; LT III-B pays half under TNERC Order No. 3 of 2025. The charge on captive rooftop solar is contested in the Madras High Court (a December 2024 ruling against it was stayed in April 2025), so check your latest bill.
Run your own numbers in the TNEB bill calculatorWhat we check at a garment unit
- Load by hour on weekdays and Sundays, from 12 months of bills
- Steam press, boiler-feed and compressor loads that can shift into daylight
- Metal-sheet roof age, corrosion and purlin capacity
- Tariff category (LT III-B or HT) and sanctioned load or contract demand
Is there a subsidy?
We found no direct capital subsidy for rooftop solar in Tamil Nadu's textile and apparel policy. A unit that buys its plant can claim 40% accelerated depreciation in the first year; your CA can confirm the benefit.
LT III-B industrial consumers pay only half the rooftop network charge; the Government of Tamil Nadu pays the rest. If you rent your building, a RESCO or PPA arrangement lets a developer own the plant while you pay per unit.
Garment unit solar: common questions
How much does rooftop solar save a garment unit in Tirupur?
A 100 kWp plant makes about 1.44 lakh units a year. With 85% used on site on LT III-B, it saves about ₹9.1 lakh a year after O&M, a simple payback of about 5.0–5.5 years on a ₹45–50 lakh plant.
Does solar help with buyer sustainability audits?
Yes. A rooftop plant gives metered generation data you can report as renewable electricity used on site, which is the evidence buyers' energy and emissions audits ask for.
What size solar plant does a garment unit need?
Size it to your weekday daytime load, not the roof. A unit that draws about 100 kW through the day shift can use a 100 kWp plant almost entirely on site; we size it from 12 months of bills.
Is there a solar subsidy for garment units in Tamil Nadu?
We found no direct rooftop-solar capital subsidy for garment units. Buyers can claim 40% accelerated depreciation, and LT III-B units pay only half the rooftop network charge.
Can we install solar if our factory building is rented?
Yes, with the owner's consent for roof access. A RESCO or PPA model lets a developer own and maintain the plant while you pay a fixed rate per unit, with no capital outlay.
More: solar by industry in Tamil Nadu · industrial solar EPC · 40% accelerated depreciation
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An engineer reviews your EB bill and roof, then sizes the plant to your load. We reply within one working hour, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm.
- Plant size from your daytime load, not your roof area
- Savings worked out on your own tariff and network charge
- CAPEX, RESCO or open-access options side by side
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