Solar Power System
A solar system is an arrangement that generates electricity using energy from the sun i.e, solar energy. The setup consists of solar panels, batteries, inverter, mounting structure, ACDB/DCDB and some other fixtures like wires and nuts to balance the system. Solar panels absorb sunlight and produce electricity which is then converted from DC to AC by a solar inverter. A solar battery stores the extra power and the mounting structure hold the panels in place. The electricity generated by the solar power system is used to run your electrical as well as solar appliances.
Every solar system works by converting sunlight into electricity. A solar panel generates electricity as long as it absorbs sunlight. That means, there will be no power in the absence of sunlight (at night or in a cloudy atmosphere). Hence, to ensure a non-stop power supply at times when there is no sunlight, there must be a source available to store the energy. For people living in secluded regions, it is mandatory to have a solar power system with a solar battery. Off grid solar power plant is a system with battery bank. That means, it can store the energy generated by the system to be used for future needs.
There are plenty of benefits of the solar system which witness the technology as the best-known way to generate electricity. Solar power is renewable and pollution-free. That means, it is available almost every day of the year and does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. With solar power, the dependency on foreign oil and fossil fuels can be reduced. And economically, installing a solar system brings a return on investment. You will no longer spend money on utility bills. All these reasons contribute to increasing the solar power capacity by more than 11 times in just 5 years.
To sum up, a solar system is a modern and affordable way to reduce your electricity bill up to ₹ 0 and generate “Green Energy, Clean Energy” at your places. It is a reliable source that will not only generate free electricity for you but also help to reduce carbon emissions.
Solar systems work on the principle of the photovoltaic effect. The process of electricity generation starts with solar panels. The solar cells inside the solar panel absorb the sunlight and convert it into DC electricity. This DC electricity can’t be used directly in your home appliances. So firstly it is converted to AC electricity through the solar inverter. And then, it can be used subsequently or you can store it in a solar battery for backup later.
Understanding the working of the solar system is not rocket science. It is the photovoltaic effect that needs to be simplified. So let’s dive into it.
Photovoltaic means a device that can convert sunlight into electricity. When the particles of light fall on such devices, they eject electrons out of their respective atoms. These ejected electrons are free to move inside the material. When these electrons are captured with a suitable setup, they result in producing electric current.
Solar panels are composed of several photovoltaic cells. All the cells contribute to producing visible voltage difference and hence electricity is produced efficiently.
To work for the welfare of maximum customers, solar technology has come up with three different types of solar systems. The different types are designed to generate electricity for different electricity needs. The basis of the difference between the three is the closeness of their connection to the utility grid. Namely, the three types are-
Solar energy is becoming an increasingly mature industry and its share of energy production is rapidly growing in past few years. The basic work of all types of solar system is to generate electricity. However, to make the solar system better in every way, these systems are designed in three different types.
An on-grid solar system is designed to switch seamlessly between the residential solar system and the grid. It connects your home to both, utility grid and solar system and hence, you can get electricity from either of the two sources.
Also known as the grid-tie solar system, this type requires only two main components- solar panels and solar inverter. Storage devices like the solar battery are not a part of this system therefore, they can’t provide you power backup. In an on-grid solar system, the solar panel generates the electricity and the solar inverter converts it into AC electricity. Thereafter, the electricity is used subsequently by your appliances. In case, the system is generating more electricity than your consumption then excess electricity will be automatically injected into the utility grid. This system allows you to export unconsumed or extra electricity to the grid through net metering.
People who are facing the problem of heavy electricity bills on a monthly/regular basis and only want to reduce their electricity bill
(if electricity is gone system will shut down)
Specially designed for remote residences, an off-grid solar system is a complete power bank that is independent of the utility grid for functioning. This type of solar system is also known as a battery-based system and stand-alone system. In this solar system, you will get to see a specialty that you didn’t get in the earlier system.
This system comes with a solar battery and does provide power backups during emergencies or outages. Other functions and components will remain the same as in the on-grid solar system. But instead of exporting extra/unconsumed electricity to the grid, you can store it in solar batteries. This stored electricity can further be used to power your electrical or solar appliances when the solar panel is not generating electricity during the night or raining.
People who want to get rid of long electricity cuts regularly or who reside far away from the utility grid and want power backup at their places.
This system combines the features and functionality of an on-grid solar system and the off-grid solar system. It is connected with the conventional utility power grid and also has a battery backup system. That means you can sell power to the grid if it is in excess and during periods of excess demand, you are free to draw from the grid. Similar to an off-grid solar system, here you will get to see a combination of solar panels, solar inverters, and solar batteries along with other accessories.
With a hybrid solar system, you can save excess electricity in a solar battery. Once your solar battery gets fully charged and also your appliances are efficiently running then the system will behave like an on-grid solar system and will automatically start to export additional power to the electricity grid.
People who want power backup during frequent power cuts and also want to reduce their electricity bills.
With improving telecommunications, more people are getting attracted to the characteristics and usefulness of solar technology. Solar is now the most popular way to generate electricity worldwide. Besides, the number of its benefactors is further increasing day by day. And why not when it provides plenty of benefits including reduced electric bills, reduced carbon footprints and potentially increased home values, all at once.
Solar systems in homes are like a genuine thing today. Mostly, an off-grid solar system is used at homes because they provide you with long power backups during crucial circumstances. A home solar system provides double benefits to its owner. On one side it increases the value of your property without any tax increment, on the other side, it boosts your savings by reducing your heavy electricity bills through net metering. Home solar systems are smaller than the commercial solar system. If we talk about its range, then the solar system for home is available from 1kW capacity to 10kW capacity.
The commercial sectors are far ahead of the residential sector in terms of solar systems. These are much bigger than normal home solar system with a range lying between 20kW to 100kW solar system and even more. As per your requirement, you can install from kilowatt capacity to megawatt or gigawatt capacity commercial solar systems for your business.
Here, both the on-grid solar system and the off-grid solar system find their uses. Both of them are efficient enough to defend your business from the cost volatility. Just observe your business place and select the type of system that can provide you with maximum profit.
Solar energy is the cleanest and safest source of electricity. It provides no harm to the environment. Instead, increasing electricity production through the solar system helps conserve limited natural resources. And this is why the government supports such initiatives by providing subsidies.
In India, the government is providing subsidy on solar through MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy). The rates of subsidy may vary according to your location and state solar policy. There is up to 70% subsidy on solar for 3 hill states i.e. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand & Jammu-Kashmir only. Whereas for other states of India this rate is 30%. Contact your state nodal agency to get more information.
A solar system is a setup of several solar components that work together to generate electricity. Each component plays an important role in determining the overall efficiency of any solar system. To ensure the smooth and efficient working of your solar system, you need to know these elements well and buy them carefully. To guide you choose the best, here we have mentioned the crucial components of the solar system that include solar panel, inverter, battery and other solar accessories.
A solar panel is a set of photovoltaic cells ascended in a frame for installation. These cells are responsible for converting solar energy to electricity. Solar panel is the most essential component of any solar system since it is the place where the conversion of light begins.
Each solar panel is made of crystalline silicon and usually contains 60 to 72 solar cells. Depending on the way of their manufacturing, solar panels are categorized as polycrystalline solar panels and monocrystalline solar panels.
A solar inverter is used to convert DC electricity generated by the solar panels into AC. This component of the solar system is essential to run home appliances as they do not work on DC directly. You’ll need an AC electrical current (alternating current) — the standard electrical current used for powering most home appliances and luxuries throughout the world. A solar system cannot work without an inverter and this is why it is also known as the brain of the solar system.
Modern solar inverters are becoming more smart and intelligent than ever. They not only do their conventional work of converting DC into AC but also perform other functions like advanced utility controls and data monitoring.
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A solar battery is a device that reserves the energy generated by the solar system to make the energy available for later consumption. The stored energy can be used after sundown, during energy need peaks, or a power outage.
Solar batteries are a crucial part of off-grid and hybrid solar systems as these systems work by storing energy for later consumption. These batteries can serve best for homes that suffer frequent utility breakdowns. You no longer need to wait for the utility electricity to illuminate your house. Just connect a solar battery to the solar inverter and other accessories and fetch the power whenever you want. It is the most reliable and affordable storage option for those living in remote areas.
Other important solar accessories include mounting structure, ACDB/DCDB, wires, nut-bolts, connectors, MC4 Connector, and many more. These accessories may sound less significant but in reality, these are as crucial as other components. People often do not pay much attention to these fixtures but one must know that even a little carelessness towards these solar accessories can cause the entire solar system to fail. So while buying and installing a solar system, never compromise with these solar accessories.
