Answers to Your Questions The essential equipments that are required to produce electricity from the Sun are as follows: Solar PV Modules or Panels (can be one or more) Charger Controller or Inverter Batteries, in case you opt for storage A charge controller regulates a battery’s SOC, providing full power when necessary and reducing the charge when the battery’s SOC is at sufficient levels. This is important for maintaining the state of health of the batteries installed. There are two types of charge controllers that are available:
PWM stands for “Pulse Width Modulation” and is basically a 3-stage charging cycle type controller. Most of your DC applications use this technique for lower power ratings typically up to 2 KVA.
MPPT stands for “Maximum Power Point Tracking”. This is a new type of controller that not only provides multi-stage charging but also delivers more power to installed batteries by comparing PV voltage with battery voltage, thus delivering the best current to charge your batteries. This makes it more efficient as compared to a PWM charge controller.
If it is not used, you will not have 120 VAC and will have to use battery power alone. This might be acceptable in a small RV or cabin, but not for normal AC appliances. This refers to the battery bank voltage. The main consideration is that at higher voltages the current produced is low so that you may use lower current rated systems such as wires that connect your PV array, your battery bank, inverter and/or charge controller. In order to obtain maximized energy transfer from your solar panels, wires running to your equipments need to be large enough to carry the current generated. If the wire/cable size is inadequate, it is possible that your connected wires may likely overheat and even catch fire. Cable sizing is a key safety aspect.
Wires between a Charge Controller and Batteries can be of the same size as the wires from your Solar Panels. However, batteries and inverter need to be connected with long cables. The size of your battery bank and inverter will determine the minimum cable size. This should be covered in detail in the instructions that come in the user manual with your inverter.
Solar Panels work based on the phenomenon called the Photoelectric Effect to produce electricity. Solar Panels are nothing but blocks of specially designed semiconducting materials that produce a small amount of electricity when light falls on them. This small amount of electricity is produced in a large number of panels to produce electricity for everyday consumption.
A Solar PV System does not consist of any moving parts. It is not prone to any kind of damage caused due to the friction between moving parts or any other mechanical phenomenon that causes damage to a generator or a motor. A Solar PV System can easily last from 20-25 years or even more, if maintained properly.
The capital cost of a Solar PV System is higher than a DG System. Nevertheless, a DG System incurs a very high fuel and maintenance cost. On the other hand, a Solar PV System does not require fuel. Even its maintenance is very minimal and easy. Besides a Solar PV System is clean and environmental friendly, and becomes cost effective in the long run compared to DG sets.
A Solar PV System requires very minimal and easy maintenance. Solar Panels should be cleaned regularly so that the system works at its full efficiency. Occasional checks should be done to ensure that solar panels are not being exposed to shading effect. Other components of the system, except Solar Panels, have to be kept in a shaded area. These steps help in prolonging the life of your overall Solar PV System.
A Solar Panel in the system produces electricity while other components convert and manage power transferred to connected load. The electricity produced by the panel is in DC form and has to be converted to AC form for user’s consumption. A proper and safe flow of electricity needs to be ensured so that no damage is done to your appliances. To increase the reliability of the system installed, other components are a must.
A Solar PV System does not require direct sunlight to work, though direct sunlight generates maximum system efficiency. The system continues to work even during overcast conditions but efficiencies get reduced. Efficiency generally reduces to 70 % during an overcast day. In India, where more than 300 sunny days are available in most of the places, overcast conditions are not a major concern per se.
The cost of a Solar Setup depends on factors such as connected load, type and quality of the components used, total available rooftop area etc. As per rough estimate, a grid connected Solar PV System with Grade A manufacturer’s components costs around INR 65,000/KW while a battery connected system costs around INR 1,00,000/KW.
In a Solar PV System, major investment is installation. It has a minimal maintenance cost and no fuel cost. A 5 KW Solar PV System has average payback period of approximately 4-5 years. The lifespan is as high as 20 to 25 years. As a result, 70 to 75 % of power produced in a lifetime may be considered free electricity.
It is mandatory for a Solar System to have a shadow free area at all times of the day. The most important factor on which this area relies on is Panel Efficiency. Generally, a Solar Panel with 15 % efficiency requires 100 sq.ft. of shadow free rooftop area. Another factor is the weight of your Solar Panels that may put pressure on the roof of your building. For old and poorly built construction, Solar Panels have to be scattered in a larger area for the building to withstand the distributed weight.
Counterintuitively, an increase in the ambient temperature around your Solar PV System results in a decrease in the efficiency of the system. It is to be noted here that though PV Systems work based on the energy from the Sun, they work on the Sun’s light energy and not on its heat energy. Increase in temperature may result in lower system output voltage, thus decreasing the said efficiency.
Shading has a very large impact on the performance of a Solar PV System. Since a PV Panel is made up of a large number of Solar Cells, shading on even a small part of the module can have an adverse effect on the energy produced by rest of the modules installed as their energy may get consumed by the part which is under shade.
Setting up a Solar PV System at your premise gives you a chance to be self-sustainable in your power consumption by reducing your dependency on grid power, which in turns leads to electricity savings. A Solar PV System is a clean and environment friendly way to generate power. You can even sell electricity (via net metering) to the already power deficit grid in the country, thereby playing a national role to fulfil the nation’s electricity demand.
Most of the solar panels installed are on rooftop. However, in some cases they can also be mounted on the ground. You would need a shadow-free area of approximately 100 sq.ft. to accommodate 1 kWp panels. Please make sure that the area gets maximum sunlight. Your solar installer will select the best angle for solar panels.
Solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight and generate electricity. They are also known as PV or photovoltaic modules as they don’t need anything beyond sunlight to produce (direct current) electricity. Solar panels can easily replace fossil fuels that cause unnecessary pollution. These panels supply clean and renewable energy that comes directly from the Sun, reduce the carbon footprint, and are environment friendly.
The cost of solar panels has considerably reduced in the past few years. The reason is increased demand by consumers who have begun to realize the benefit of going solar. At LivFast, we value quality and provide top notch solar panels at a very affordable price.
Also, an investment in solar solutions is very sound as compared to merely relying on grid power. In the long run, it is cheap as the whole cost can be recovered in a short span of years. In fact, after a certain period of time, if you choose the right installation service, you can actually start earning profit from your investment.
LivFast gives you 25 years of performance warranty on panels with an assured great performance, not merely functionality.
Electricity bills are no longer a worry. Solar panels generate electricity to charge the battery of your inverter and to run your loads. You don’t always require grid supply and this reduces your electricity bills. It is a one-time investment: You get solar panels installed today and begin to enjoy clean electricity for at least 20-25 years. Yes, you heard it right. After all, the Sun never invoices you.
Solar hybrid system is a solar solution that comprises of PV panels, batteries and a hybrid/off-grid inverter. It works with or without grid support and is designed for self-sustainability.
Solar grid interactive is a system that is in sync with your local grid. It requires a grid interactive inverter and solar panels. It works to send excess solar power generated back to your local grid via a net meter. It only works as long as grid supply is available. If electricity gets cut off, this system no longer functions.
Solar grid interactive hybrid brings you the Power of 2. It consists of a grid interactive hybrid inverter, batteries and solar panels. When grid supply is available, it will send excess solar power back to your local grid via net metering and when grid power is not available, it will use your batteries to run your critical loads.
You can use them if you experience long duration power cuts of 3 hours or more on a given day. Such a system is widely recommended if you have a premise in a remote part of the country.
You can use them if your grid supply is reliable on a 24x7 basis or if your day time power cut is bare minimum (0-1 hour). As long as grid supply exists, this system will sell excess solar back to your local grid via a net meter to help reduce your monthly electricity bill.
You can use them if your grid supply is good enough and you experience short duration power cuts of 1-2 hours. This works as a grid interactive system, thus helping you reduce your electricity bill and at the same time, runs your critical loads during power cut.
You can, but it is not recommended. GIH will provide power backup through batteries when gird supply is not available. No additional inverter system is required as backup is readily available.
When there is a power cut, GI with normal inverter system will discharge the battery for backup. However, in GIH, the critical load will be catered by both solar power and battery power, leading to more solar utilization and enhanced battery backup.
Central subsidy via MNRE for GI and GIH systems that have been deployed in residential up to 10 KW and housing societies (>10 KW to 100 KW). Also, be aware of state level subsidies in your region that will help you further reduce cost of buying our best in class solution.
For Solar GI/GIH system, one must ensure that all the necessary government requirements for net metering is taken care of. This may require some of your valuable time and fees depending on your local electricity utility/DISCOM. For battery based systems, no permits are required. However, in case there are subsidy schemes offered by local government, additional documentation may be required for subsidy. LivFast products are designed as per IEC/BIS standards, and are eligible for subsidy schemes. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) regularly announces subsidy and its disbursement procedure on its website. It is recommended to visit the same.
The device helps PV plants to function without net metering. Also useful for establishments that have DG Sets wherein the solar power is not exported to the DG set.
FAQs
Solar FAQs
What are the main equipments that are required to generate electricity from Solar? How many solar panels do I need to generate appreciable electricity? Why is a Charge Controller required? How many types of Charges Controllers are available? Do I need a Power Inverter? What are the differences between 12, 24 and 48 V solar inverters? Correct Cables & Wire Sizes FAQs
Why is wire size so important?What about the rest of the system? Buyers Buying Solar Products/Projects FAQs
How do Solar Panels produce electricity? What is the expected lifespan of a Solar PV System? How is Solar better than Diesel Generator as a backup system? What kind of maintenance schedule needs to be followed to keep my Solar PV System in a healthy condition? What equipments other than Solar Panels are required in my Solar PV System? Is power production affected on an overcast day? What is the required investment for a Solar Rooftop Solution? How much time will it take to breakeven,if I invest my finances in a Solar Rooftop Solution? How much Rooftop Area is required to install a Solar PV System? Does ambient temperature affect the efficiency of a Solar PV System? How does shading affect the performance of a Solar PV System? Why should I setup a Solar PV System at my premise? How much rooftop space is required? Solar Panel FAQs
What are Solar Panels?
The Cost of Solar Panels 25 Years’ Performance Warranty Lower Electricity Bills GI and GIH FAQs
What is Solar Hybrid (Off-Grid), Solar Grid interactive and Solar Grid Interactive Hybrid systems. What is the basic difference between all three systems?Where can we use Solar Hybrid (Off-Grid) Systems?Where can we use Solar Grid Interactive (GI) System?Where can we use Solar Grid Interactive Hybrid (GIH) System?I already have an inverter system. Can I simply use GI instead of GIH?For which solar systems does government provide subsidy?How to go about government approvals & subsidies for residential rooftop solar plants?What is a zero export device?
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