Johnsoncab solar plan targets 91.95% of FY26 power use

Johnsoncab proposes rooftop solar systems costing Rs 3.23 crore that it says would save 19,03,717 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, equal to 91.95% of FY26 electricity consumption. However, the separately disclosed generation estimates for the two plants total 14,73,697.05 kWh, and no solar plant has yet been installed.

Can Johnsoncab's solar plan cover 91.95% of FY26 power use?

Johnsoncab states that the proposed rooftop solar plants would save 19,03,717 kWh a year, or 91.95% of its FY26 power consumption. The systems are intended for captive consumption, meaning electricity generated at Unit-I and Unit-II would serve the company's own requirements; Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd. would supply any additional power required.

The unit-level production figures disclosed by Johnsoncab do not equal the stated annual saving. Unit-I's proposed 309.88 kilowatt-peak direct current (KWP DC) plant is estimated to generate 47,785.05 kWh per year, while Unit-II's 900.36 KWP DC plant is estimated to generate 14,25,912 kWh per year. Together, the estimates equal 14,73,697.05 kWh, which is 4,30,019.95 kWh below the stated 19,03,717 kWh annual saving.

Johnsoncab does not explain the difference between the stated saving and the unit-level generation estimates. Unit-II represents 1,476 of the planned 1,984 panels and 900.36 KWP DC of the combined 1,210.24 KWP DC capacity, so achieving the stated 91.95% outcome depends primarily on Unit-II's installation, output and receipt of grid credit for generated units.

How large is Johnsoncab's electricity cost exposure today?

Johnsoncab recorded combined FY26 electricity consumption of 20,70,411 kWh and electricity cost of Rs 1.64 crore across its two manufacturing units. Unit-I consumed 9,18,750 kWh at a cost of Rs 81.03 lakh, while Unit-II consumed 11,51,661 kWh at a cost of Rs 82.64 lakh.

The FY26 total consumption increased from 14,89,827 kWh in FY25, while combined electricity cost rose from Rs 1.27 crore in FY25. At Unit-II, consumption increased from 6,80,409 kWh in FY25 to 11,51,661 kWh in FY26 and electricity cost increased from Rs 52.34 lakh to Rs 82.64 lakh. At Unit-I, consumption rose from 8,09,418 kWh to 9,18,750 kWh and cost increased from Rs 75.07 lakh to Rs 81.03 lakh.

Unit-II's FY24 consumption was 32,028 kWh because electricity consumption there began in December 2023, rather than covering a full year. For the five-month period ended August 31, 2026, Johnsoncab reported Unit-I consumption of 2,40,453 kWh costing Rs 17.74 lakh and Unit-II consumption of 7,60,743 kWh costing Rs 56.36 lakh.

What will Johnsoncab's Rs 3.23 crore solar project include?

Johnsoncab proposes to use net proceeds to fund the entire Rs 3.23 crore estimated cost of grid-connected rooftop systems at Unit-I and Unit-II. The estimate relies on a July 31, 2026 quotation from Kosol Energie Pvt. Ltd., but Johnsoncab says it had not placed a firm order or installed any solar power plant at its manufacturing facilities as of the disclosure.

The quotation assigns Rs 74.37 lakh to Unit-I's 508-panel system and Rs 2.16 crore to Unit-II's 1,476-panel system. Equipment cost totals Rs 2.90 crore, with Rs 25.85 lakh of taxes and Rs 6.50 lakh of miscellaneous or contingent cost bringing the proposed funding requirement to Rs 3.23 crore.

Johnsoncab says the budget is subject to final negotiations because it has not entered definitive supplier agreements. The quotation also places government, distribution company, net-metering and Gujarat Energy Development Agency charges on the customer at actual cost, while cables and additional work are also charged at actual cost. Changes in solar policy, site conditions, technology, equipment availability and panel specifications could therefore change the final cost or configuration.

What must happen before Johnsoncab generates solar power?

Johnsoncab must place a firm order, complete pending approvals, install the systems and obtain grid synchronization before solar generation can begin. Its schedule lists firm ordering during September to October 2026, approvals and clearances during August to October 2026, installation during November to December 2026, and commencement of generation in January 2027; each activity after feasibility evaluation and quotations was marked pending.

Two approvals remain pending in the disclosed schedule. Johnsoncab must apply to the power distribution company, or DISCOM, and the Gujarat Energy Development Agency for grid connection before installation and commissioning. It must also obtain Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd.'s testing and approval of the meter and current transformer after installation and before commissioning and synchronization, enabling credit for rooftop-generated units.

The quotation specifies staged payments of 10% with a letter of intent or purchase order, 40% after successful Gujarat Energy Development Agency registration, 40% before material dispatch and 10% after installation is completed. The projected 91.95% coverage depends on these steps being completed and on the installed systems delivering the production assumptions used in Johnsoncab's stated estimate.

Conclusion

Johnsoncab has proposed Rs 3.23 crore of captive rooftop solar capacity against an FY26 electricity bill of Rs 1.64 crore and consumption of 20,70,411 kWh. Its stated 19,03,717 kWh annual saving would substantially reduce the electricity requirement met by state-supplied power, but its disclosed unit-level generation figures total 14,73,697.05 kWh and do not reconcile with that saving estimate.

The next disclosed milestones are firm ordering and approvals scheduled through October 2026, followed by installation in November and December 2026 and planned generation from January 2027. The key matters to watch are the final project cost, completion of grid-connection and metering approvals, and whether Johnsoncab clarifies the difference between its generation estimates and its stated annual saving.