Solar Power FAQs

Such rooftop solar systems can be installed on the rooftops of residential and commercial complex, housing societies, community centers, government organizations, private institutions, institutional buildings, industrial buildings etc.

The main components of a Solar off-grid system are:

• Solar Panels or Modules: Solar PV panels are typically made up of crystalline silicon cells and contain small quantities of other atoms, usually boron and phosphorous, to create silicon layers of opposite electrical properties. When sunlight falls on the modules, it excites the electrons, thereby creating direct current (DC). When you evaluate solar panels for your photovoltaic (PV) system, you will encounter two main categories of panel options: monocrystalline solar panels and polycrystalline solar panels. Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be slightly more expensive than polycrystalline panels, however monocrystalline panels have a higher efficiency than others.

• Solar Inverter: The DC electricity produced by the solar panel goes into an inverter that then converts it into alternating current (AC). We use AC for running our household or office or factory equipment.
• Battery: The best use of solar energy is to consume it while it is being generated. If the requirement is to store this power and consume it in the non-sunny hours, then solar energy can be stored in batteries for later consumption.

Solar panels generate electricity during the daytime. This solar energy is used to power the appliances (via the solar inverter) and charge the batteries. During the nighttime, when solar energy is not available, the appliances are powered by the batteries with the help of the solar inverter which converts the DC power of the battery into AC power. If there is no solar power and the battery is low on charge, then the appliances are powered using grid electricity. In this way, the consumption of electricity from the grid is reduced, thereby resulting in lower electricity bills.

There are 2 main advantages of adding solar panels to an inverter-battery system:

Lower electricity bills and Savings

The solar inverter system or the solar off-grid system is generally designed to minimally utilize the available grid power and give more priority to solar power to run the appliances. The excess solar power, when available, is also used to charge the batteries. Thus, the consumption of electricity from the grid is reduced and this leads to lower electricity bills and savings.

Longer back-up hours

In a normal inverter-battery system, if there is a power cut during the daytime, the backup power would be provided by the batteries and thus the energy available in the battery would reduce. In the case of a solar inverter system or solar off-grid system, solar power can provide power to the appliances and at the same time charge the batteries if there is a power cut during the daytime. So, a solar inverter system can also provide longer backup hours when compared to a normal inverter-battery system.

The solar energy generated during daytime can be stored in a battery bank for night-time use.

Yes, it can be used in combination with the grid power. The solar off-grid system gives priority to solar power to run the appliances. Grid-power is used when there is no solar power and the charge in the battery has gone below a set level.

A Grid connected Solar Power Plant with battery bank will work even when grid power (Electricity Supply) is not available but the power from the solar power plant cannot be exported to the grid in absence of grid power. However, the Solar Power Plant without a battery bank will not work or supply power in the absence of grid power (Electricity Supply).

Yes, you can. In this case, you might need to go with an off-grid or a hybrid solar approach.

 In the case of an off-grid system, the surplus solar power will be used to charge the battery. 

When planning to go solar, it is important to consider:

• Your purpose for going solar (lower electricity bills, save money, backup power requirement,  protect environment, energy independence etc.)
• How much of your energy needs do you want to be fulfilled by solar?
• How much can you save by going solar?
• Do you have enough shadow-free space (land or roof)?
• How much do you want to invest in your solar PV system?

Solar panels are highly proven and reliable technology and have been in use since the 1950s. A solar panel system that is designed, installed, and maintained well will operate for 25 years or even more than 25 years. Moreover, since there are no moving parts in a solar panel system (unless you are using tracking devices to make the solar modules tilt with the movement of the Sun), there is practically negligible wear and tear.

A 1 kW rooftop solar PV system generally requires 10 sq. m of flat, shadow-free area (preferably south-facing). 

A Solar PV system generally weighs 15 to 20 Kg per square meter. This weight can be easily borne by most roofs. Also, when qualified solar vendors visit your site, they will inspect the roof for robustness. In the unusual event of the roof not being able to support the weight of the solar panel system, they would be able to suggest reinforcement mechanisms that would make a solar rooftop system possible.