Three words used interchangeably in Pakistani solar quotations, describing three different machines. What each one does, why an on-grid system shuts down during load shedding, and why hybrid became the default in 2026.

Inverter size comes from your simultaneous load. Array and battery size come from your daily units. Two different questions, two different numbers, and a worked example for a three-bedroom house in Lahore.

A tubular battery looks cheaper on the shelf. Compared by cost per usable unit delivered over its life, lithium wins by a wide margin. Here is the arithmetic, the assumptions, and the cases where tubular still makes sense.

On 9 February 2026 NEPRA replaced Pakistan’s decade-old net metering framework with net billing. Exported units are now bought at roughly Rs. 11 while grid units still cost Rs. 40-60. Here is what changed, what it costs, and how to design a solar system around the new rules.