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India stands at a vantage point when it comes to solar power as our country is located close to the 0-degree longitude (Equator). It has long sunshine hours throughout the year. In recent years, capturing this energy to generate power has become of national significance to achieve our renewable energy targets. The government of India has made policy-level changes to support the penetration of solar PV rooftop systems in the country. However, a lack of knowledge about the technology has seen low adoption of rooftop systems in the residential segment. This blog will give you a quick overview of a rooftop solar system for your home.
Types of solar rooftop power systems
There are two types of rooftop systems:
Grid-connected/ grid-tied/ On-grid system: The system is connected to the electricity grid. The electricity that is generated by the rooftop system is fed into the grid. This system has a net meter which measures the electricity that is consumed from the grid and that which is fed into the grid by the rooftop system. At the end of the billing cycle, the consumer is billed for the net electricity consumed. This could even be zero if the amount of electricity consumed is equal to or less than the amount of electricity generated by the rooftop system.
Image Credits: New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC)
Off-grid: The system is a standalone power generation unit and is not connected to the grid. The generated electricity is used for self-consumption and the system has a battery which is used for storage of excess electricity. This stored electricity is used up during power outages and during nighttime when there is no sunlight. These systems are more popular in rural areas where the grid connection is an issue and with the falling prices of batteries in the country, the demand for such systems is on the rise
Components of a rooftop solar system
Solar PV modules/ solar panels
Solar panels are made up of several photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert sunlight incident upon them into electrical energy. These are arranged in arrays and are mainly of two types, monocrystalline and polycrystalline.
Monocrystalline PV cells | Polycrystalline PV cells |
These panels have crystals cut from a single silicon crystal. (single source of silicon) | Polycrystalline solar cells are blended together from multiple pieces of silicon. Smaller bits of silicon are moulded and treated to create the solar cell. This process is less wasteful because hardly any raw material is thrown out during manufacturing. |
Higher cost as compared to polycrystalline PV cells | Lower cost as compared to monocrystalline PV cells |
Higher efficiency, hence suitable in places where the space is limited | Lower efficiency due to imperfections in the surface |
Better heat tolerance | Less heat tolerance |
Uniform black color | Blue hued in color |
The size of the panel and the type of cells to be used depend on several factors like space constraints, power output required type of roof, etc.
Inverter
The Inverter converts the solar energy produced by the panel into usable electricity for household devices. It converts the AC power into DC power and also synchronizes with the grid for feeding the electricity generated into the grid system.
Module mounting structure
Mounting structures hold the solar panels in place and are usually tilted at a suitable angle to receive ample sunlight. Most mounting structures are fixed type in India but there are also ones which track the position of the sun and keep moving accordingly.
Bi-directional meters/ net meters
Net meters keep account of the amount of power injected into the grid versus the amount of power drawn from the grid. At the end of the billing cycle, the consumer is charged for the net consumption. Consumers need to fill in the application form for net metering with their respective state DISCOMS, after which, it may take 30-90 days for getting the meter installed at their home.
Balance of system
These include all peripherals that are required for the functioning of the system, like cables, junction boxes, earthing, circuit breakers and fuses.
Batteries
Batteries are required for off-grid solar systems as well as grids which suffer from frequent power outages. The excess power is stored in batteries and then used when needed. The cost of batteries in India is on a decline and hence these systems are slowly showing an increase in demand. Click here to choose the correct batteryfor your solar rooftop system.
Why should you go solar?
The sun shines over our country for approximately 300 days and it's absolutely free. So why not tap into this potential and bring it to our use? The cost of solar panels has been decreasing over time. As a matter of fact, since the year 2010, the cost of solar panels has come down by 90 per cent. The payback period on this investment is around 3-4 years and the return on investment is better (approx 12 per cent) than current fixed deposit rates offered by banks. To promote solar rooftops at residential properties, the government is offering a subsidy . All these things together make it a great opportunity to save big and make a positive environmental impact.
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