“Solar energy is sure, pure, and secure”, PM Narendra Modi said. Solar energy is not going to be a big medium today but for many centuries. He has explained how solar energy is sure. He said that other sources of electricity generation are limited, but sunlight is infinite across the world. How pure is solar energy? It does not generate any pollution, even if it helps to save the environment, and how secure is solar energy? It is a symbol of "Atmanirbhar", and it is a big inspiration to save power consumption. Our hopes and aspirations are increasing towards the development of India and our electrical energy is also increasing. India is growing in every sector and power consumption is also growing year-on-year. In this scenario, Solar Power will play an important role and be energy-independent in electricity generation.
What is Solar System?
The new term people are using is “Solar System." A solar system (सोलर सिस्टम) means a complete set of solar panels, inverter, battery, and balancing system is called a solar system. It is also known as the Solar Power System. The benefits of installing solar systems in a home, hospital, school, factory, or office reduce an electricity bill or run appliances after a power cut.
Types of Solar System
We have categorized the solar panel systems into 5 types that are based on consumer needs:
1. Off Grid Solar System (With Battery)
It is also known as the “standalone solar system”, which works with or without national electricity anywhere. This solar system can run 80-90 % loads of home and business on solar inverter capacity. The main components of a standalone solar system are a solar panel (solar PV module), an off-grid solar inverter, a solar battery (lead acid or lithium battery), and balancing of the system. This solar system helps to generate electricity and run AC appliances during power cuts as well as save electricity bills.
2. On Grid Solar Systems (Without Battery)
It is also known as the “grid-connected solar system” which works with national electricity. This solar system works during the daytime in sunny hours and is capable to run all appliances. The main components of a grid-connected solar system are a solar panel (solar PV module), grid tie solar inverter (on grid solar inverter), balancing of the system, and net meter. This solar system helps to save up to 80% on electricity bills of homes and businesses.
3. Hybrid Solar System (Mix)
It is a combination of on-grid & off-grid solar systems that work in any condition. This system has the capability to run 80-90% loads on solar inverter capacity as well as export extra electricity to the national grid. The main components of a hybrid solar system are a solar panel (solar PV module), hybrid solar inverter, solar battery (lead acid or lithium battery), balancing of the system, and net meter. This solar system helps to generate electricity during daytime and gives the power backup also in nighttime as well as in emergency situations without depending on national electricity.
4. Direct Solar System (Without Inverter Battery)
It is a VFD solar system that works during sunny hours in the daytime only and this is capable of running a motor only. The main components of a grid-connected solar system are the solar panel (solar PV module), VFD, and balancing of the system. This solar system helps to run the AC or DC motor and save diesel costs.
5. Upgrade Solar System (Existing Inverter Battery)
It is a budget-friendly solar system that converts existing inverter batteries into solar and charges batteries and runs home appliances during the daytime. The main components of a grid-connected solar system are a solar panel (solar PV module), solar charge controller, and balancing of the system. This solar system helps to charge the inverter battery during the power cut situation.
What is the difference between Off Grid & On Grid Solar System?
A stand-alone solar system generally has an energy storage unit in the form of a battery as a component, while a grid-connected solar system usually does not need one. Apart from being stand-alone or connected to the grid, PV Solar Systems are also described by other characteristics. They can be (i). regulated or unregulated, (ii). supply a DC load, an AC load or both types of loads, (iii). have a battery storage or no storage.
Solar System for Home
Energy is the most important aspect of the advancement and development of mankind. Without energy, there will be no innovation, no invention, or mankind will have to compromise with the lack of advancement. However, the sources of energy that are traditionally used by mankind, such as coal, petroleum, etc., are coming to an end.
That is why the world needs to switch to the primary source of energy, where the entire animal kingdom or plant kingdom receives energy, which is the Sun. Utilizing solar energy is the best way to fight this problem. There was a time when solar energy was trapped and used only in the rural areas, where there was a lack of other electricity sources, or in the industrial belts, where there is a huge demand for energy. But, now you can easily access the solar system for home.
Whatever the type you choose for powering your home, it is important to check the service provider for right installations and services like end-to-end EPC solutions, operation, and maintenance.
7 Best tips you should know before buying solar system for home
1. Don’t be carried away by advertisements:
Since more and more people are leaning towards acquiring the solar power system for their homes, many companies have come into this business. With loads of advertisements, they try to influence buyers. However, you must not be carried away by these advertisements in excitement. It is always better that you seek recommendations.
You must ask your friends, family members, neighbours or even colleagues if they have installed the home solar system in their homes. Ask them about the brand or company that they have chosen. There are a few things that you must ask them –
- System Performance
- Pre & Post Buying Service & Support
- Quality of Installation
- Previous Installer's Installation
It is only after you get satisfactory answers to these questions that you should proceed towards choosing that company or brand.
2. Understand the material and choose the best one:
While buying the off-grid solar systems the first thing that you need to be careful about is the type of panel that you are choosing. There are two kinds of panels available in the market –
1. Monocrystalline Solar Panel
These are made up of uniform crystals, made from pure and single silicon crystal bars. Since the panels are uniform, they are more efficient, eliminating the space wastage. These panels can absorb massive amounts of solar energy in strong sunlight. But absorption is reduced when light condition reduces. The efficiency of monocrystalline solar panels is up to 20% and it works in low light and cloudy weather condition.
2. Polycrystalline Solar Panel
These are purified and module crystal panels. These are less efficient but are less expensive than the mono-crystalline panels. The efficiency of polycrystalline solar panels is up to 17%.
Both of these panels have their unique properties. You must choose the one that fits your needs and budget.
3. Be Realistic about the Budget
The solar system for homes in India is not very cheap. But, you must understand that with this one-time investment, you are actually potentially saving huge for the future. Your energy bills are going to be reduced significantly. All that you have to pay for is the minimal maintenance charges that you would have to otherwise pay for the traditional power systems. Hence, to make sure that you don’t have to pay huge on these solar power kits for repair and maintenance purposes, choose the best quality ones that will last long.
4. Understand the location and choose the kit
The location or area in which you are going to install the solar power system for home plays a huge role. If you live in an area, where there is uninterrupted strong sunlight most of the time of the year, you can go for the mono-crystalline systems.
If you live in an area where there is a scarcity of direct or strong sunlight, go for the poly-crystalline ones. This will absorb the sun from different directions.
5. Look for Certifications
This is one of the most important tips that you must follow, while you are buying your solar power kit. Look for the certifications that your system has. It applies to all kinds of solar panel systems that you are buying. The certifications indicate the type of testing that has been done on the panels. There are certain types that bring you government rebates. Go for them if you need to save money on the best solar panel for home.
6. Solar inverter
The solar inverter is very crucial for the solar system for the home. It converts the absorbed DC current into usable AC current. The better the solar inverter; the less will be the waste of the power that is conserved. This will have a direct impact on your savings.
7. Check the Balancing of System
If you want to know how much solar panels save, you must consider all other factors that are associated with it. One of them is the mounting system. The best mounting systems will ensure that the chance of the solar panels being unmounted during a wild storm is less. If you live in an area that is cyclone-prone, this is especially important.
Solar panel stands, are also known as Mounting Structure, Solar Panel Holding Stands, Panel Stand, and Solar Structure. On the basis of consumer demands, Solar panel stands can be categorized into: – rooftop mounting structures, wall-mounted mounting structure, and Tin Shed Mounting Structure.
So, it is now time that you switch to solar systems for homes for power generation and usage. It is the most eco-friendly choice and the world needs this switch. Save your money and also save the planet. Be prepared for a world that has to switch to solar power in the near future.
How Much Does Solar System for Home Cost?
The cost of a rooftop solar system depends on the function it serves (to feed power into the grid, to support the load during a power failure, etc.) and incentives/subsidies available. It should be noted that all solar PV systems function by matching the voltage from some other source. Therefore the system has to be integrated with the grid or a battery backup.
Price of Solar System for Home
At Loom solar.com, we are regularly asked about the cost break-up and particular of rooftop solar power plants. But before answering that, let’s list down the components of a rooftop plant:
- Solar Panels that convert sunlight into electricity
- Inverters that convert DC electricity to AC form
- Cables: DC cables convey current from panels to inverters and AC cables from inverters to loads
- Mounting Structures: They support the panels on the rooftops
- Electrical Peripherals: These include Junction Boxes, Earthling, Lightning Arrestors, Conduits etc. All of these are highly specific to the design of the power plant
- Lastly, another cost component is the actual supervision, design and installation of the power plant
Loom Solar estimates a rooftop solar power plant to cost between ₹25 – ₹75 per Watt, depending on the quality of components chosen. We have given ballpark numbers for the costs of rooftop power plant components below – and this holds for 2022:
|
Component |
Cost/Watt (Rs.) |
|
Solar modules |
25-42 |
|
Inverters |
8-14 |
|
Cables |
2-3 |
|
Structures |
4-6 |
|
Peripherals (JBs, DC protection systems, earthling, lightning arrestor) |
3 |
|
Supervision, design and installation |
5 |
Note:
We have not considered battery backup as that can alter the economics significantly depending on the extent of battery backup required. Not only do batteries add to the initial cost, recurring maintenance, and replacement expenditure, but the energy loss on charging and drawing from the battery also adds to the cost of power. A battery backup could add significant costs to the above system.
Subsidies & Incentives
Several incentives are available for rooftop solar PV plants in India. While the specifics of the incentives could vary from state to state, these incentives broadly fall under the following categories:
- Capital Subsidy - Governments in India provides capital subsidy in many states for the investment made for rooftop solar power plants. The subsidy on capital investment of solar system is ₹ 20,000 per kW or 30% of system cost whichever is lesser.
- Accelerated Depreciation (AD) - Accelerated depreciation of 80% is available until March 2022 under the Income Tax Act for rooftop solar PV systems. The depreciation benefit to a maximum of 40% can be claimed every year from April 1st, 2022.
- Income Tax Credits - Investment tax credits work similarly to capital subsidies. Here, instead of a direct subsidy on the capital cost, your income tax is deducted by the amount of incentive.
The final cost to set up the solar system for office, factory, after factoring in Accelerated Depreciation and Subsidy benefit will be:
|
The final cost of 10 kW rooftop solar system - on-grid solar system |
|
|
Item |
Rs. |
|
Cost of a 10 kW rooftop solar plant (A) |
6,00,000 |
|
Subsidy @ 20% per kW (B) |
- 1,20,000 |
|
Net cost after subsidy |
4,80,000 |
|
Accelerated depreciation @40% |
1,92,000 |
|
Tax rate |
35% |
|
Tax saved through depreciation (C) |
-67,000 |
|
Final Cost to the consumer after benefits (A-B-C) |
4,13,000 |
Variations in Pricing
Prices of solar PV systems offered by various manufacturers can differ significantly. There can be several reasons for the variations in price, such as:
Overstatement of capacity
Some manufacturers advertise a rooftop system with 1 KW modules (solar panels) and a 5 kW inverter as a 5 KW system. As the electricity is generated by the modules this system only has a 1 kW capacity and the price offered by the manufactured should be compared with other 1 KW systems and not 5 kW plants
Brands – Products from Tier I manufacturers are typically more expensive but offer much better performance and reliability.
Certifications/Standards – Products that are certified and meet quality standards are more expensive.
Warranties – The price of the system can depend on the warranties offered. Solar Panels – Industry-standard warranty is
- 10-year manufacturer warranty
- 25- year performance warranty
Other systems – Inverters, mounting structures, cables, junction boxes, etc. typically come with a 1-year manufacturer warranty which can be extended to 5 years.
Solar System Initial & Annual Costs
The cost of an energy system is usually considered in two parts - an initial cost and an annual operating cost. As is evident by now, a renewable energy system is characterized by a relatively high initial cost and a relatively low annual cost as compared to a conventional fossil fuel-based system. On the other hand, an energy system using a conventional energy source is characterized by a low initial cost and a high annual cost. Thus an economic analysis of an energy system has to consider both these aspects.
Off-Grid Solar System Price List, 2024
In India, up to 10 kW solar system is designed to work with batteries, here is the price list of solar energy-powered solar system from 1 kW to 10 kW.
|
Off-grid solar system |
Price (all inclusive) |
|
300 watt |
₹ 39,500 |
|
1 kw |
₹ 95,000 |
|
2 kw |
₹ 1,90,000 |
|
3 kw |
₹ 2,85,000 |
|
5 kw |
₹ 4,75,000 |
|
10 kw |
₹ 9,50,000 |
On Grid Solar System for Home Price List, 2024
Indian homes install up to 10 kW solar systems while the business and factory install up to 25 kW on-grid solar system. the price list of 1 kW - 25 kW on-grid system is as follows:
|
On grid solar system |
Price (all-inclusive) |
|
1 kw |
₹ 60,000 |
|
2 kw |
₹ 1,20,000 |
|
3 kw |
₹ 1,80,000 |
|
5 kw |
₹ 3,00,000 |
|
10 kw |
₹ 6,00,000 |
|
25 kw |
₹ 15,00,000 |
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