New Age Tech Guru--- Off-Grid Solar PV System

 

Part of a series in renewal energy technologies brought by  M/s Paavi Solar

 

Friends, in the previous blog we talked about types of Solar Photovoltaic systems for providing electric energy to our units. Today onwards in three subsequent blogs we will talk about these systems in detail.

First of all, we will see how the Off-Grid Solar PV system work and its objectives. The main aim of Off-Grid Solar PV Systems is to provide electricity to our units when grid supply is not available or Grid Supply is not intended to be used. These systems have battery banks, as backup storage, to store electricity in the form of D.C. and are charged during the daytime by Solar Panels. During Night or Off solar hours these batteries provide D.C.  electricity which in turn is inverted into A.C. for running the loads.

Main working Principles of Off-Grid Solar PV System.

Solar Photovoltaic panels installed on the rooftop (either on G.I. Structures or directly placed on slanting roofs) in arrays of 12V/24V or 48V gather sunlight during the daytime and convert sunlight into D.C. Arrays are connected to  D.C. Distribution Boards. These Distribution boards act as collectors and also contain fuses and Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) along with circuit breakers. As the Solar radiation available to the PV Panels is always fluctuating due to clouds, shifting of Sun, shadows, etc. and hence charge controllers are used to streamline the specific current rating for charging the batteries. Simultaneously D.C. is available to the inverter for conversion to A.C. for running the house loads connected through A.C.  Distribution Boards.

During off solar hours, Battery Bank supplies D.C. to the inverter for conversion to A.C. for running the house loads.

 

Friends, we will discuss in detail the types, specifications, and use of each component of the Off-Grid Solar PV Systems in coming blogs.

-        GP BOSE

New Age Tech Guru-- Types of Solar PV Sytems

 

Part of a series in renewal energy technologies brought by  M/s Paavi Solar

 

Friends let us examine the types of Solar Electric Systems for conventional use.

Broadly speaking Solar Systems can be categorized as

1.Solar Megawatt Power Plants: - These power plants are large scale power generators in Mega Watt Capacity and directly hooked to the grid. These are mainly installed in Barren fields, over canals, etc. and along Railway lines.

2.Solar Roof Top Power Systems: - These are small scale Power Generating systems and generally sufficient to provide power to a single user unit. Their Generating capacities are in Kilo Watts

We will mainly restrict our self with the Solar Roof Top Power Systems and try to understand different configurations in which these rooftop systems are installed.

The basic purpose of the solar rooftop system is either energy independence from Electricity supply companies or to minimize the electricity bills by the Net metering system.  We will talk about Net Metering later on.

At the Basic Level Solar Roof Top, systems can be classified as

1.           Off Grid Solar Systems: - Such types of Solar systems are installed for Energy Independence and have battery back up for off solar hour working. Calculations for battery back up includes the rainy/cloudy days at a stretch. These systems are for off Grid Houses etc. These systems are not in any way connected to Grid.

2.       On Grid Solar Systems: - Such systems are installed for lowering the electricity bill and have no battery backup. These systems are the most simple and have minimum components. These systems are installed in India by the empaneled Solar Installers registered with DISCOMS as a state policy and subsidized.Net Metering is done in such systems for computing the excess electricity one generates and sells to DISCOMS.

3.       Hybrid Solar Systems: - These Solar systems are Like on Grid Solar Systems with and additional arrangement of Battery Backup. These systems are costliest but have benefits too.

We will talk about components wise details of each system in coming blogs.

 

                                                                                                                                                   -G P BOSE

 

 

New Age Tech Guru - Introduction to Solar Photovoltaic

 

Part of a series in renewal energy technologies brought by  M/s Paavi Solar

 

Friends, today we will talk about conventional technology of converting solar energy into electrical energy. The generic name of this technology is Solar Photovoltaics, whereby solar energy is converted into electrical energy by the use of Solar Cells. Solar Energy, in the form of Photons fall on Solar PV cells and is directly converted into electrical energy with the effect called Photovoltaic Effect. Conventionally Solar Cells are made of Silicon Wafers and have semiconductor material. These Silicon wafers are cut from Silicon ingots and are arranged into a pattern called Solar Panel. Solar Panels are further encapsulated in a toughened glass encasing for safety. This electrical energy is in the form of Direct Current which is collected using a certain pattern of Solar Panels (Either in series or Parallel), in a the pattern of Solar Arrays. Further generated D.C. current is controlled using charge controllers and stored in Batteries for off Solar Use as a backup strategy or directly converted into A.C. using an inverter for conventional electricity use.

 

Image :-Solar Array

 

Further generated D.C. current is controlled using charge controllers and stored in Batteries for off Solar use as a backup strategy or directly converted into A.C. using an inverter for conventional electricity use.

                                                                                                                                               -G P BOSE