Question 1

Why should I opt for Rooftop Solar photovoltaic when I am getting continuous power from the local power distribution company?

Accepted Answer

Power Distribution Companies are mainly dependent on the power generated and supplied from Conventional Energy Sources such as Thermal, Hydro or Nuclear Power plants. Thermal Power Plant which is our major source of Power Generator in India is facing tremendous pressure due to depletion in availability of its one and only raw material, Coal. Most of the Thermal power plants in India are either not generating or are not operating to its full capacity due to unavailability / short supply of Coal. Due to these restrictions set up in India and worldwide the burden of operation cost of these Power plants are passed on to the end users and hence the price being paid to Local distribution companies are increasing at a very drastic level. By opting for Solar, we are independent of the energy generated and our dependency on power distribution company is brought down to a huge extent. We are thereby reducing the consumption of power from the local distribution company and are also playing a small part in extending our support to reduce Green House Gas Emissions which would allow our future generations to live a life we are presently enjoying.

Question 2

I have a solar water heater installed in my home, why do I need a solar PV System?"

Accepted Answer

Solar Water Heater and Solar PV are two different technologies. Solar Water Heater absorbs the Sun light falling on a flat plate collector (Toughened Glass) and heats the water flowing through tubes placed below these Glass. Here Solar Energy  is converted into heat and used only for heating the Water which is stored in Insulated Tanks for use in Industrial/Residential Applications. Solar Water heaters help replace your electric water heaters (Geysers) and they can only offset the electricity consumption of this. Our homes have other high power consuming devices such as Air Conditioners, Induction Cooktops, Microwave Ovens etc.  Solar PV Systems can help us with this. Solar Photovoltaic system on the other hand absorb the photons (Energy Carriers) available in sunlight and convert them into electricity (DC) using Solar Photovoltaic Modules. This Electricity is then converted to AC using Inverters and then is used to power up Industrial/ Residential Loads. In Grid-connected systems, the energy consumed by all these loads including your lighting loads can be generated using a rooftop solar system. In fact solar water heaters are the first step that most customers take towards solar. Impressed with the savings that are accumulated over time with these systems , most customers tend to align towards a Solar PV System to completely offset their monthly bills.

Question 3

How does a Solar PV system work?

Accepted Answer

A solar PV system is made up of the following major components-   Solar Panels - Solar panels are made up of Photovoltaic (PV) cells which use sunlight to generate Direct Current (DC).The amount of light energy available is known as Solar Irradiation and this depends on your location.   Solar Inverter- Our homes run on Alternating Current (AC). The power produced by the Solar Panels cannot be used in their original form. The inverter converts DC to AC and this power is exported to the utility in Grid-Tied Systems.   
Bi-Directional Meter- Every Residential/Commercial/Industrial Establishment with access to the electricity grid has a uni-directional meter which measures the amount of power that you import. Once you install a solar system this meter is replaced by a bi-directional meter which tracks both your import and export(Solar generation) of power.

Question 4

Can solar reduce my monthly electricity bill?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely yes!   This is done using the Net-metering scheme that is provided by your utility. Under this concept you are allowed to store energy produced by your rooftop solar system in the grid by signing a PPA agreement with your utility provider.  Lets break it down a little and show you how its done.   For Example-    A.  Monthly power requirement = 360 units( equivalent to around 2700 Rs.).   To match your requirements we would need to size a rooftop solar system just enough to generate the above energy.   1kW System generates 1kW power in 1 hour.            With 4 hours of good sunlight a day (average value)                    1 day generation                       =                                  1 * 4          =   4 units B.     1 kW System  Monthly generation   =                                  4*30         = 120 units            Required System Size                      =             A/B           =  360/120     =   3kW        By Installing a 3kW system you can completely offset your utility power import and save on the bills every month for 25 years.   To know what system size matches your home' requirement- Solar On-Grid Calculator

Question 5

Can i use solar as my backup power(UPS).

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can.   By Installing an Off-Grid System, you can connect your existing batteries to Solar.    In this system the batteries are charged directly by the panels through a charge controller. This stored energy can be used as a backup during power outages.   Please note that a careful study of your load usage pattern is necessary to design your storage system. Bigger capacities can be installed to account for days of low sunlight.

Question 6

What is an On-Grid System?

Accepted Answer

An On-Grid System or a Grid-Tied Solar System, is connected to your public utility grid. This is one of the most widely used systems out there.   In this the Rooftop Solar system is designed to generate enough power to reduce our import demand. If the consumer generates more power than their requirement, the local utility provider pays the consumer for the net export according to the Feed in Tariff (FiT).   This System is a great investment as it pays back its investment in 4-6 years, and helps save on electricity bills for 25 years.   To know more click here - On-Grid Schematic

Question 7

What is an Off-Grid System?

Accepted Answer

An Off-Grid System as the name suggests, is not connected to the grid. In this the Solar panels charge the batteries, and the stored energy is used in times of power outages. A charge controller regulates the current flow from the panels to make sure that the battery is not overcharged.   To know more click here- Off-Grid Schematic

Question 8

What is an Hybrid System?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid Solar Systems have the features of both, On-Grid and Off-Grid systems.    These systems can be connected to the batteries, and once the batteries are completely charged the excess can be exported to the grid. This is done using a Hybrid inverter.   To know more click here- Hybrid Solar system

Question 9

How can solar help the environment?

Accepted Answer

Traditional sources of power like fossil fuels generate greenhouse emissions and these sources are finite. The products of burning of fossil fuels cause air pollution and are some of the major causes of global warming.    Energy derived from the sun is clean energy. By installing a rooftop solar system we can help combat this and the energy from the sun is infinite. We can reduce our dependence on traditional sources of power with solar.   To calculate how much of CO2 production you can reduce with solar - Solar Calculator

Question 10

How much does it cost to install solar for home?

Accepted Answer

A primary site assessment is required for an initial estimate. Systems below 5kW tend to cost between 70,000-80,000/kW based on your roof structure, requirement of elevation for solar etc.    Systems beyond 10kW cost much lower per kW. It can go as low as 55,000/kW.  To understand the cost of installing solar for your home and the savings of your system for the next 25 years, enter you details and we'll schedule a visit right away if you're based in Bangalore.- Contact Form

Question 11

What's is my payback period for rooftop solar?

Accepted Answer

Your payback for a rooftop solar system in Bangalore can range between 4-6 years.

Question 12

How long does it take to install Solar for home?

Accepted Answer

Installation of a Rooftop solar system in Bangalore generally takes 1-2 months, including all the approvals from the utility grid to install under the net-metering policy.

Question 13

What system size is suitable for my needs?

Accepted Answer

Use the calculator to get a rough estimate of the rooftop solar capacity required to match your homes energy requirement - Solar Calculator

Question 14

For how long does my solar rooftop system help me save on electricity?

Accepted Answer

Solar panels come with a performance warranty for 25 years.    A panels performance warranty will typically guarantee 90% production at 10 years and 80% production in 25 years.    The Solar panel degrades over time and the rate of degardation varies depending on various factors.    Incase the panel does not provide the expected generation, the panel is replaced.

Question 15

Are there any drawbacks to On-Grid Solar System?

Accepted Answer

On-Grid solar systems generate power only when they are connected to the grid which means that in case of a power cut when there is no import of power from the grid, the generation of the solar system is not accounted for during the period of outage.   This is done in order to make sure that there is no export of power during the outage , which protects the utility grid personel when they are working on resolving the issue.

Question 16

Is my building suitable for installing solar?

Accepted Answer

Solar can be installed on any kind of roof including, Flat Roof, Asbestos Sheet, Puff Sheets, Inclined Roofs, Metal Roofs etc. and the complexities involved can vary depending on the type of roof.     In Flat roofs , additional mounts with racks are required to get the required tilt according rto ones location.   Our team at Hyde Source, has vast experince in installing Solar systems in different rooftypes.

Question 17

I would want to use my roof area for recreation and Gardening purpose and still want to reap the benefits of Solar, Is it viable?"

Accepted Answer

Yes, sure you can. If you are planning to make good use of your roof and do not want your solar plant to take up this space, then you can go for Elevated structures for placement of Solar Modules. By doing this the area above your roof is utilised and the actual area below these modules can be used for your Gardening and can also be used for spending your spare time with your loved ones.

Question 18

If I am opting for a Grid Connected Solar System, should I change my existing EB meter set up or can the same be continued?"

Accepted Answer

A Bi-Directional Meter is necessary for this application. In a Grid Connected solar system based on your load consumption, the excess energy generated is exported to the grid for which the local Electricity Board agrees to pay the equivalent amount to the user based on the local solar policies available.   Your current meter will be used as a solar check meter as a secondary source for tracking the amount of exported energy.

Question 19

Is Maintenance charges of a Solar Roof top Plant high?

Accepted Answer

Just as any other equipment/ component a solar plant also requires regular maintenance but the cost of maintenance is very minimum. The major reason for this is that the solar setup is a static setup and does not have any moving/rotating parts in its system design which if considered would have lead to wear and tear of its components leading to high cost in maintenance. The regular maintenance work in solar roof top plant is cleaning of photovoltaic modules  which can be carried out by just using normal water to clear out any dust or bird droppings on the module glass surface.  Quarterly checkups by the installer can help in troubleshooting an error in advance.

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