Use solar power freely — without DISCO approval, without net metering paperwork, and without changing your electricity meter. The inverter reads your load in real-time and never sends a single unit back to the grid.
If NEPRA or your DISCO has told you net metering is suspended, if your industrial tariff prohibits reverse flow, or if your apartment building cannot install a net meter — a zero export system delivers identical daytime savings with none of the regulatory hurdles.
A CT (current transformer) clamp sensor is attached to your incoming grid cable at the distribution board. It measures, in real time, how many watts your home or factory is drawing from WAPDA. This reading is sent to the inverter over a small signal wire.
The inverter's control loop then adjusts its own output every second to match your consumption exactly. If you are using 3,200W, the inverter produces 3,200W. If you switch on another AC and consumption jumps to 4,800W, the inverter ramps up to 4,800W — all within about one second. The grid import stays near zero. The grid export stays at exactly zero.
A non-invasive current sensor clamps around your incoming grid cable. No cutting of wires — it reads the magnetic field.
The inverter reads your household consumption every second. It knows exactly how many watts you are using at any moment.
The inverter throttles its solar output up or down to follow your load. Generation never exceeds consumption.
Because output = load, there is nothing left to export. Your meter sees normal import behaviour. No DISCO paperwork. No bidirectional meter needed.
| Factor | Zero Export | Net Metering | Hybrid (no export limit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISCO approval required | ✓ Not required | ✗ Required (3–18 months wait) | ✓ Not required (if zero export mode on) |
| Bidirectional meter needed | ✓ No — existing meter unchanged | ✗ Yes — DISCO installs at your cost | ✓ No |
| Earns bill credits for surplus | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (when available) | ✗ No (or charged as export) |
| Works on industrial tariff (A2/B1/B2/B3) | ✓ Yes — no reverse flow, fully compliant | ✗ Often prohibited by tariff terms | ⚠ Requires export limit setting |
| Works in apartments / shared meters | ✓ Yes | ✗ No — shared feeder cannot get net meter | ⚠ Depends on building setup |
| Works with load shedding backup | ✓ Yes — add battery | ⚠ Hybrid net metering (complex approval) | ✓ Yes |
| Available to new applicants in Pakistan 2026 | ✓ Yes — no application needed | ✗ NEPRA suspended new approvals | ✓ Yes (zero export mode) |
| Daytime electricity saving | ✓ Full (100% of load covered by solar during sun hours) | ✓ Full + credits for surplus | ✓ Full |
On a weekend morning with few appliances running, your panels may be capable of producing 5kW but you only need 1kW. In zero export mode, the inverter runs at 1kW — the remaining 4kW of panel capacity is simply not used. With a battery, that surplus charges the battery first (giving you load shedding backup), then the inverter throttles down. This is why zero-export hybrid (solar + battery + zero export) is the best configuration for most Pakistani homes and factories.
These inverters are tested and configured by our team for zero export mode. All include CT sensor input — the critical hardware requirement.
Basic string on-grid inverters (no CT port) cannot do zero export — they always export surplus. If you are asking about zero export, you need a hybrid inverter or an on-grid inverter with an external export limiter accessory. Always confirm CT sensor support before buying.
Because zero export limits generation to your load, sizing is different from a net metering system. For zero export to be efficient, your daytime load should be consistently higher than your solar generation. The more you run during the day, the more solar you can absorb.
| Scenario | Typical Daytime Load | Recommended System | Battery Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home — family of 4, housewife present | 1–3 kW | 3–5 kW inverter, 5–8 panels | Strongly recommended (10kWh) | Battery absorbs surplus; load shedding covered |
| Home — office-going family, minimal daytime load | 0.3–1 kW | 3 kW inverter, 4–6 panels | Yes — battery essential | Without battery, most solar generation wasted during day |
| Retail shop / small commercial | 3–8 kW | 6–8 kW inverter, 8–14 panels | Optional | AC + lighting + POS typically keeps load above solar output |
| Textile unit / factory (small) | 20–100 kW | 20–100 kW 3-phase on-grid + export limiter | Not typically | Consistent heavy load = near-zero throttling; maximum savings |
| Office building | 10–50 kW | 10–50 kW system with CT per phase | Optional | Air conditioning creates high, stable daytime load — ideal for zero export |
Industrial A2/B1/B2/B3 connections often prohibit reverse flow under their NEPRA tariff determination. Zero export is automatically compliant — no reverse flow, no contract violation.
A textile unit running 500kW of motors rarely drops below the solar system output during production. The inverter almost never throttles — you capture nearly 100% of generation.
Net metering applications for industrial connections can take 6–18 months. A zero export system is commissioned and saving money on the day of installation — no queue, no site inspection by DISCO.
If net metering regulations change in your favour, the same hybrid inverter can be reconfigured to export. Zero export is a setting, not a hardware limitation — you are not locked in.
A zero export solar system uses a CT clamp sensor attached to your grid connection. The inverter reads your real-time electricity consumption every second and throttles its output to exactly match your load — so your solar generation never exceeds what your home or factory is consuming, and zero units are ever sent back to the grid. You get all the daytime savings without any net metering application or DISCO approval.
No. Because a zero export system never feeds electricity back into the WAPDA grid, it is not classified as a distributed generation connection under NEPRA regulations. You do not need a net metering license, no DISCO site visit, no bilateral agreement, and no change to your utility meter. Your electricity bill continues to be calculated exactly as before — just lower, because your solar covers daytime consumption.
Without a battery: the inverter throttles its own output down. If you are consuming only 2kW but panels could produce 5kW, the inverter runs at 2kW — the remaining panel capacity is temporarily unused. With a battery: excess solar charges the battery first, then the inverter throttles. This is why zero-export hybrid (solar + battery + zero export) is the optimal configuration — no wasted generation, full load shedding backup, and no grid approvals needed.
NEPRA suspended new net metering approvals for residential and commercial applicants in 2026 under a revised distributed generation framework. Existing net metering connections are not affected. New applicants in most DISCOs (FESCO, LESCO, MEPCO etc.) cannot currently proceed under the prior regime. This has significantly accelerated interest in zero-export systems as a fully compliant alternative.
Yes. A zero export hybrid system adds a battery to the zero-export configuration. During the day, solar powers the load (with zero export enforced). During load shedding, the battery powers the load. This is the complete solution: maximum daytime solar savings + full load shedding backup + no DISCO paperwork. The Solis S6-EH1P hybrid inverter natively supports zero export via its built-in CT sensor port and is the system we most commonly install.
Yes — it is often the best choice for industry. Many industrial tariff connections (A2, B1, B2, B3) explicitly prohibit reverse flow to the grid. A zero export system meets this requirement automatically. It is also ideal for factories with large and consistent daytime loads — textile units, cold stores, food processing — where solar generation rarely exceeds consumption anyway, making net metering credits minimal but zero export savings large.
A zero export system costs the same as a standard hybrid system. There is a small additional cost for the CT clamp sensor (approximately Rs. 3,000–8,000) if not already included with the inverter. The Solis S6-EH1P includes the CT input port; the sensor itself is a small accessory. Total installed cost for a 6kW zero-export hybrid system with 5kWh battery starts around Rs. 900,000 — see our battery price guide and 6kW system price guide for live pricing.
A conventional UPS uses grid power to charge batteries and discharges them during load shedding — you are still paying for all the energy. A zero export hybrid solar system uses free solar to charge the battery and power the load during the day. The battery backup works the same way during load shedding, but the energy filling that battery is coming from your roof, not from WAPDA. Over a year, the solar system eliminates 70–90% of your daytime electricity bill while providing the same load shedding backup as a UPS.
We design, supply and install zero export solar systems across Faisalabad, Lahore and Punjab. CT sensor configured, tested, and commissioned on installation day. WhatsApp us for a same-day site assessment.