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Rooftop solar for your home: Kahramaa's BeSolar scheme
How to put solar panels on your villa or building in Qatar under Kahramaa's BeSolar net-billing scheme: who can apply, who does the paperwork, how the two-way meter and bill credit work, and what to check before you pay anyone.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who can apply
- Any Kahramaa customer; for a rented home the owner applies
- Kahramaa fee
- No application fee at present
- Surplus credit
- QAR 0.237 per kWh exported, deducted from later bills
- Size limit
- Up to your contracted load
BeSolar is Kahramaa's service that lets homes, farms, shops and factories install their own solar panels and connect them to the national grid. The power your panels make is used in your home first; anything left over flows to the grid through a two-way meter, and Kahramaa credits its value against your next bills. It launched in the third quarter of 2024, and Kahramaa marked its first customer installation in December 2025, so it is still new and many details are handled case by case. In practice the work is done by professionals: an authorised engineering consultant applies through the Ministry of Municipality's building permit system, and a Kahramaa-approved contractor designs and installs the system. This guide explains the order of things, what you decide yourself, and what to check so you do not pay for a system that cannot be connected. It does not promise savings: whether solar pays back for you depends on your consumption, your tariff, your roof and the price you are quoted.
Before you start
- Ownership proof for the property, or the owner's written agreement and involvement if you rent (the owner must be the applicant)
- Your Kahramaa account (electricity premises) number and 12 months of bills, to see how much you really use
- A rough idea of free roof or parking area with no shade from water tanks, stair rooms or neighbouring buildings
- Your contracted load (shown on your connection documents or obtainable from Kahramaa) - the solar system cannot be larger
- For a compound, tower or owners' association building: written permission from whoever controls the roof
- An authorised engineering consultant (engineering office) registered on the Ministry of Municipality building permit system
- Two or three written quotes from Kahramaa-approved solar contractors, each listing panel and inverter brands
- A budget figure: Kahramaa's own 2024 estimate was an average of about QAR 4,000 per kW installed, which varies a lot by size and brand
Step by step
Decide if solar makes sense for you
Start with your own numbers, not a sales pitch. Look at a year of Kahramaa bills: households with high summer use on higher tariff slabs gain most, while a small flat with low bills gains little. Check how much unshaded roof you have and whether you expect to stay long enough to benefit. Kahramaa says you can do this feasibility check yourself or hire a specialised company. Remember that you are paying up front for something that only reduces future bills.
Read guide: Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills →Sort out who owns the roof
BeSolar is open to all Kahramaa customers, but Kahramaa states that for a rented property the owner must submit the application. If you rent a villa, talk to your landlord first and agree in writing who pays, who owns the panels and what happens when you move out. In a compound or a building with shared roofs, you also need permission from the management or owners' association. Without the owner on board, the application cannot go ahead.
Read guide: Renting a home in Qatar →Check your contracted load
Kahramaa limits the solar system size to your contracted load demand, which is the maximum power your connection was approved for. Your consultant can confirm this from the connection records. This matters because a contractor might quote a system that is larger than you are allowed to connect. Ask every contractor to size the system within this limit and to show the calculation.
Pick only a Kahramaa-approved contractor
Kahramaa tells customers to use only contractors it has approved for solar PV, and it publishes the approved contractor and approved equipment lists on its Renewable Energy pages at km.qa. Contractors get approved only after Kahramaa reviews their documents, trains and examines their staff and visits a site. A company that is not on the list may install panels that Kahramaa will refuse to connect to the grid. Check the company name against the list yourself rather than trusting a logo on a brochure.
Compare quotes properly
Ask for at least two or three written quotes. Each should state the system size in kWp, panel and inverter brands and models (check them against Kahramaa's approved equipment list), the mounting method and roof load, the expected yearly output, warranties on panels, inverter and workmanship, and who handles the consultant and Kahramaa paperwork. Kahramaa does not set prices; contractors do. Be wary of quotes that promise a fixed payback period or guaranteed bill savings.
Read guide: Consumer rights in Qatar: refunds, exchanges, warranties and complaining to MOCI →Let the consultant apply through the permit system
Kahramaa says BeSolar applications are made by authorised consultants through the Ministry of Municipality's building permit system, the same route used for new electricity connections and load increases. Your consultant uploads the design based on Kahramaa's technical documents. The system needs solar panels, an inverter, interface protection and a metering arrangement. Kahramaa gives initial approval and then approves the design before installation starts. Kahramaa currently charges no application fee, but your consultant and contractor will charge for their work.
Install the system after design approval
Only start installation once the design is approved. The contractor fixes the mounting frames, panels, cabling, inverter and protection equipment. Ask how the frames are secured to the roof, how the roof waterproofing is protected, and where the inverter will sit, because inverters dislike direct sun and heat. Keep copies of all drawings, data sheets and warranty documents.
Get connected and metered
When the work is finished, the contractor notifies Kahramaa. Kahramaa then installs or connects a two-way (bidirectional) smart meter that records both the power you take from the grid and the surplus you send to it. Only after this connection should the system start feeding the grid. Do not switch on a grid-connected system before Kahramaa has connected it.
Read your bill under net billing
Your panels supply your own home first. Surplus exported to the grid is valued at QAR 0.237 per kWh, the same rate for every customer type, and that value is deducted from your next bill. Kahramaa explained at launch that if you export more than you use in a month, the bill for electricity is zero and the leftover becomes a credit for the following period, but surplus cannot be carried over for more than 12 months. Check each bill to see the imported and exported readings, and raise any mismatch with Kahramaa.
Read guide: Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills →Look after the panels
Dust and sand cut the output of panels, and high humidity and cloud also reduce it, so output varies through the year. Agree a cleaning and inspection plan with your contractor, and use water carefully and safely on the roof. Watch the inverter display or app; a sudden drop usually means dirt, shading or a fault. Keep the warranty papers and the contractor's contact details where the next owner or tenant can find them.
Know the off-grid alternative
If your system is not connected to the Kahramaa network at all, for example a small panel-and-battery set for a farm, camp, shed or garden lights, Kahramaa says no BeSolar application is needed. You can use any specialised company, and Kahramaa has published an off-grid guide. Off-grid systems do not earn bill credit, and they must never be wired into your home's grid supply without Kahramaa approval.
What it costs
| Kahramaa BeSolar application fee | QAR 0 (no fee at present) |
| Credit for surplus electricity exported | QAR 0.237 per kWh |
| Installation (Kahramaa's 2024 average estimate; actual quotes vary) | About QAR 4,000 per kW |
| Consultant and contractor fees | Set by the companies; get written quotes |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Paying a deposit to a company that is not on Kahramaa's approved contractor list
- A tenant arranging panels without the landlord, when Kahramaa requires the owner to apply
- Buying a system bigger than the contracted load, which Kahramaa will not connect
- Switching on a grid-connected system before Kahramaa has fitted the two-way meter
- Believing a promised payback period or 'free electricity' claim instead of checking your own bills
- Letting surplus credit pile up for more than 12 months, when it cannot be carried over longer
- Ignoring dust: panels that are never cleaned produce noticeably less
- Not keeping the design approval, data sheets and warranties for resale or a future tenant
Questions people ask
Can I install solar panels on my rented villa?
Only with the owner. Kahramaa allows tenants to benefit, but the property owner must submit the application. Agree in writing who pays, who owns the equipment and what happens to it when your lease ends.
Do I live in an apartment - can I join BeSolar?
Usually only if the building owner or owners' association applies for the whole building and controls the roof. Individual flat tenants cannot put panels on a shared roof on their own. Ask your building management whether they plan a building-wide system.
Will Kahramaa pay me cash for the electricity I export?
Kahramaa describes it as a credit, not a payment. Surplus is valued at QAR 0.237 per kWh and deducted from your next bills, and Kahramaa said at launch that surplus cannot be carried over for more than 12 months. Check the current terms with Kahramaa before you rely on large exports.
How much does a home solar system cost in Qatar?
Kahramaa does not set prices. At launch it gave an average of about QAR 4,000 per kW installed, and said this could fall as the market grows. Your real cost depends on system size, brands and roof type, so get several written quotes.
How long will it take to pay back?
Nobody can promise this. It depends on how much electricity you use, your tariff slab, the size and output of the system, the price you pay and how well the panels are kept clean. Kahramaa itself says high-consumption customers on higher tariffs stand to gain the most.
Does Kahramaa charge a fee to apply?
Kahramaa says it does not currently charge application fees for solar PV. You will still pay the consultant who submits the application and the contractor who installs the system.
Do panels still work in the summer heat and dust?
Yes, Qatar gets strong sun, but heat, dust, humidity and cloud all reduce output. Regular cleaning and good ventilation for the inverter help. Ask the contractor for an expected yearly output figure that already allows for local conditions.
Can I put a few panels and a battery in my garden without telling Kahramaa?
If the system is completely off-grid and never connected to your Kahramaa supply, Kahramaa says no application is needed. Anything wired into your home's grid connection must go through BeSolar with an approved contractor.
Official sources
- Kahramaa: BeSolar distributed solar service ↗
- Gulf Times: Qatar launches BeSolar (costs, net billing, 12-month carry-over) ↗
- Gulf Times: Kahramaa launches BeSolar service ↗
- QNA: Kahramaa supports first BeSolar customer (Dec 2025) ↗
- The Peninsula: Harnessing solar energy (Apr 2026) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.