FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

PV, short for photovoltaic, describes the process of converting light directly into electricity. Put simply, a solar PV system is a power station that generates electricity from sunlight.

The main components are:

1. Solar panels/modules: Panels contain small semiconductor cells. When sunlight falls on them, it excites electrons and creates direct current (DC).
2. Storage battery: Solar energy is best consumed while it is generated. Batteries can store power for use during non-sunny hours when required.
3. Solar inverter: The inverter converts DC electricity into alternating current (AC), which powers household, office, and factory equipment.

Before installing a solar plant, consider your energy demand and consumption pattern, the shadow-free space available on your rooftop or premises, the most commercially viable buying option (CAPEX or RESCO), and the savings you can expect from going solar.

Most panel manufacturers provide a 25-year warranty. Solar plants have also been operating successfully for 40 years or more.

The right system depends on your energy-consumption pattern, the frequency of power cuts or outages, and applicable government policies such as net metering, grid access, and solar subsidies.

There are two main buying options:

1. OPEX model: A third-party investor owns the solar plant. The consumer and producer enter a power purchase agreement (PPA), typically for 15 to 25 years. The consumer pays an agreed tariff for the generated power, and ownership transfers to the consumer when the PPA ends.
2. CAPEX model: The end consumer buys and owns the plant upfront, with financing options such as bank loans available.

Net metering is a policy that allows you to sell excess solar power back to the grid, helping maximise savings from your solar plant.

For a 100 kW setup, approximate costs are Rs. 65-75 lakh for the household sector and Rs. 55-65 lakh for larger commercial and industrial sectors. Utility-scale projects can cost less because of economies of scale.

Solar power is generally cheaper than grid electricity and diesel generation. For commercial and industrial segments, solar power can cost around Rs. 4.5-5 per kWh, compared with about Rs. 7 per kWh from the grid and Rs. 16 per kWh from a diesel generator.

With an OPEX model, there is no initial capital investment from the client and savings begin immediately because the solar tariff is lower than the current cost of grid and diesel-generator power. As the difference between solar and grid tariffs increases over time, the savings can increase too.

Installation can take between 2 and 10 weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the project.

Your roof is suitable when it has no significant shade from adjacent buildings or trees and its structure is sound enough to support the system.

Annual maintenance costs are usually not significant. A system generally needs module cleaning every 2-3 weeks and preventive or corrective electrical maintenance every three months. Water is generally used to clean the panels.

The required space depends on the available shadow-free area and roof orientation. As a general guide, a 1 kW plant requires about 12 square metres of shade-free area.

An energy-monitoring system lets you compare actual performance with estimated performance on a daily, monthly, and annual basis.

Important factors include the location and layout of the plant, roof orientation and shade-free area, equipment quality, system design, and ongoing maintenance.

On average, a 1 kW setup produces 1,300 to 1,500 units per year. This varies with location, seasonal conditions, surroundings, and available shade-free area. For planning calculations, 1,400 units can be used as a guide.

Generation is reduced on rainy and cloudy days, especially during the monsoon, but it does not drop to zero. This seasonal reduction is accounted for in the typical annual generation estimate of 1.3 to 1.5 lakh units per 100 kWp.

No. Solar energy is integrated into the consumer premises LT panel alongside grid, diesel-generator, or other sources. Equipment does not distinguish the source of its power, so loads cannot be separated by source.

Technically, a solar plant can meet the full requirement when supported by a battery energy-storage system. In practice, commercial and industrial users are generally advised to use solar alongside the grid, with solar power consumed first automatically.

No. A solar plant generates electricity only during sunny hours, typically from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM.