The demand for solar appliances is soaring in the city, thanks to daily power cuts.

According to the 16 solar appliance manufacturers-cum-retailers in Calcutta, their sales have increased at least 30 to 40 per cent compared with last year. Solar fans are the most popular items, followed by solar lights.

Manufacturers also offer rooftop solar panels of two capacities. The Rs 15,000 panel powers two lights and a fan, while the Rs 25,000 one runs two fans and four lights.

Minakshi Pramanik, a 38-year-old homemaker from Kasba Bakultala who recently bought the more expensive panel, said she was forced to by regular power cuts stretching up to four hours.

Affordability is one of the attractions of solar fans. “Solar table fans cost around Rs 2,000. We sold around 100 between April and June last year. This year, we sold over 250 solar fans in the same period,” said Uttam Mukherjee of Sunshine Power Products.

Each fan must be paired with a solar module. Modules that can be used only during the day cost Rs 4,000 each. Those with batteries, allowing the fans to be used even at night, cost Rs 6,200 each.

Sivaji Sen, 62, a retired pharmaceutical professional, recently installed half a dozen fans in his Ritchie Road home. “They are as good as conventional fans. The high temperatures and long power cuts prompted me to opt for them,” said Sen.

Portable solar lanterns are the second most popular item. “The lanterns cost between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,300. The life of the compact fluorescent lights used in them is 8,000 burning hours,” said Anupam Baral, the owner of Geetanjali Solar Enterprises. “We used to get four-five enquiries a day about our solar lighting system. In May, we got around 50 enquiries per day,” added Baral.

Manufacturers said most prospective customers look to use solar energy to power their existing fans and lights. A 400-watt panel, necessary to meet the requirements of an average middle-class household, can cost nearly Rs 1 lakh.

Geetanjali and Sunshine have come up with appliances that enable buyers to use solar power in conjunction with conventional electricity for a quarter of the cost.