How to choose a solar company in Dubai

The first test for any solar company in Dubai is simple: is it enrolled with DEWA as an Electrical & DRRG Solar PV contractor? Only DEWA-enrolled consultants and contractors may submit, install and connect a grid-tied system under Shams Dubai, so an installer who is not on DEWA's published list cannot legally connect your roof. After that, choosing between solar installation companies comes down to four things: equipment on DEWA's eligible list, a quote you can compare line by line, warranties in writing, and honest generation figures. This guide covers each, for villas and commercial roofs alike, with a checklist you can use on every quote.

Who is allowed to install solar panels in Dubai?

DEWA runs a specific enrolment for rooftop solar: the DRRG Solar PV Consultants & Contractors Enrollment (DRRG stands for distributed renewable resources generators). There are two designations, Consultant – Electrical & DRRG Solar PV and Contractor – Electrical & DRRG Solar PV. To qualify, a company must already be enrolled with DEWA as an electrical consultant or contractor, hold a Dubai trade licence carrying the relevant renewable energy activity (solar energy system installation, for contractors), and employ a minimum number of DEWA-certified Solar PV Experts. Details are on DEWA's enrolment page.

DEWA's own Shams Dubai FAQ is direct about it: only enrolled consultants and contractors are authorised to install, operate and maintain your solar PV system. DEWA also publishes the list of enrolled companies. Ask any installer for its enrolment and check the company name against that list before you sign anything.

Do I need a solar consultant and a contractor?

For most villas and many commercial roofs, one enrolled contractor handles design, DEWA submissions, installation and commissioning. DEWA's connection service accepts applications from enrolled solar consultants or contractors, and DEWA lists the service as free of charge with a stated processing time of 17 working days for the permit and connection approval. A separate enrolled consultant tends to appear on larger or more complex projects: a new building, a large commercial or industrial system, or where a landlord, developer or facilities team wants an independent party checking the contractor's design. If one is involved, ask who answers to DEWA if changes are requested.

What should a good solar quote contain?

A good quote is specific enough that you could hand it to another installer and get a like-for-like price. It should state:

• System size in kWp and the number, make, model and wattage of panels.
• Inverter make and model, and whether monitoring is included.
• Predicted annual generation in kWh, with the assumptions behind it. On an unshaded Dubai roof, expect something close to 1900 kWh per kWp per year; a figure well above that deserves a question.
• Total price including mounting, cabling, protection, design, DEWA submissions, inspection and connection, so you can convert it to AED per kWp.
• The savings basis: which DEWA slabs the system displaces. Homes are billed from 23 to 38 fils per kWh across four bands, and businesses at 23 or 38 fils, plus a fuel surcharge of around 6 fils. A credible saving is calculated band by band, not at one flat rate. Our DEWA bill bands explainer shows how.
• Programme: survey, DEWA submission, installation, inspection and connection, with realistic timings.
• Warranties and after-sales terms, set out below.

For context, indicative turnkey pricing on our calculator is around AED 3,000 per kWp for homes and AED 2,400 per kWp at commercial scale. A 10 kWp villa system therefore lands near AED 30,000 and a 100 kWp warehouse system near AED 240,000.

Figures are estimates, not a quote. Final numbers depend on a site survey and DEWA approval.

What equipment does DEWA accept?

Three items must meet DEWA's eligibility requirements: PV modules, PV inverters and interface protection systems. DEWA maintains a List of Eligible Equipment, updated periodically through its DRRG equipment portal. Modules must be certified to IEC 61215, IEC 61730 and IEC 61701 (salt-mist corrosion); inverters to IEC 62109 or UL 1741 plus DEWA's own DRRG standards. Certificates must come from third-party labs accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. Unlisted equipment needs extra documentation. The simplest check is to ask for the exact module and inverter models and look them up on DEWA's equipment eligibility page.

Which warranties should I ask for?

Solar warranties come in layers; a single "25-year warranty" headline can hide which one it means. Ask for each in writing:

• Panel product warranty: defects in materials and manufacture. Often much shorter than the power warranty; one widely used current module lists 12 years.
• Panel performance (power) warranty: the output the manufacturer guarantees over time. The same module lists 30 years; DEWA's FAQ describes guarantees commonly of 90% output after 10 years and 80% after 25.
• Inverter warranty: DEWA's FAQ notes inverters generally come with 10-year guarantees. Expect to replace an inverter once over a system's 25-year life.
• Workmanship warranty: the installer's own cover for mounting, roof penetrations, waterproofing and wiring. This is the one that depends on the company still being there.
• Who handles claims: the installer, or you directly with the manufacturer.

What are the red flags when choosing a solar installer?

• No evidence of DEWA enrolment, or a name that does not match DEWA's published list.
• A price with no kWp figure, no equipment models or no generation estimate.
• Savings worked out at a flat or top-band rate across your whole consumption.
• DEWA approvals, inspection or connection described as "extra" or "to be confirmed".
• Pressure to sign or pay a large deposit before a site survey.
• Batteries pushed as essential. Under Shams Dubai net metering, exported units are credited against later use, so most grid-tied systems do not need storage.
• For apartments and leased premises: no mention of landlord or owners' association consent.

A checklist for comparing solar companies in Dubai

Should I buy the system or choose a PPA?

The company you choose also shapes how you pay. Buying outright gives you the whole saving; on our worked villa example, payback arrives in about five years. Under a power purchase agreement the provider funds, owns and maintains the system, and you pay for its electricity at a rate around 25% below the DEWA rate it displaces, with AED 0 upfront. For businesses weighing capital against cash flow, our PPA vs capex comparison sets out the trade-offs. Dubai Solar Installers is one option on both routes: compare buying your own solar system with our AED 0 upfront solar PPA, or first estimate your savings from your DEWA bill so you know what a fair quote should deliver.

Figures are estimates, not a quote. Final numbers depend on a site survey and DEWA approval.

Related reading: what a solar system costs in Dubai, and how to compare inverters on a quote.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a solar company is approved by DEWA?

Ask for its DEWA enrolment as an Electrical & DRRG Solar PV contractor, then find the company on the list of enrolled consultants and contractors that DEWA publishes on its website.

Is a solar panel supplier the same as an installer?

No. A supplier sells equipment; only a DEWA-enrolled contractor can design, submit, install and connect a grid-tied system in Dubai. Buying panels alone does not get you connected.

How long does DEWA approval take?

DEWA states 17 working days for the solar permit and connection approval service. Survey, installation and inspection time sit on top of that.

Can a tenant or apartment owner install solar?

Only with written consent from the property owner or, in a shared building, the owners' association. A good installer asks for it before design work starts.