The Indian solar market has been growing at a rapid pace in recent years. Solar energy is now cheaper than ever, and the government is making considerable investments to push it even further. Rooftop solar panels are becoming more popular for all types of buildings in Bangalore. They provide clean energy without requiring much space or maintenance costs. This article will help you learn about what you need to know when considering rooftop solar panels for your apartment building!
Why should I invest in solar power?
Solar power is a viable way to generate electricity. It helps in reducing the energy bills of an individual, household, or commercial buildings. Utilizing solar panels saves money, increases carbon footprint, and makes them self-sufficient by generating their source of electrical energy.
- The solar power plant in Bangalore is expected to generate 300 MW of electricity per day.
- According to reports, it will help the government save Rs.4000 Cr annually, which is equivalent to Rs 20000 crore over 25 years.
What are the benefits of installing rooftop solar panels?
There are many benefits of installing Solar Panels on your rooftop. Some include:
– Powering the entire building electricity needs with clean energy, resulting in lower utility bills for everyone living there;
– A reduction in pollution, which is especially important for those living on busy roads or near industrial sites; and,
– Lowering greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
– Can I sell extra electricity generated by my solar panels?
If you have more energy produced from your rooftop than what is needed for the building, any surplus will be sold to a local utility or power company. You can then claim this money back as a tax rebate on next year’s income taxes.
How do these solar panels work?
Solar energy is harnessed from the sun and converted into electricity. The solar cells transform light photons to electrical power, which can use for anything, including powering lights in your home or recharging an electric car battery!
What are some of the challenges faced with rooftop solar installations?
There may be a few issues to sort out when installing solar panels. For example, the sun may not always shine on your rooftop exactly when you need it most (and during winter months). Also, some rooftops are too small to support an effective installation of photovoltaic cells that work well with this power generation method.
The cost and ROI of a rooftop solar panel system will be different for each household and building.
Factors that will affect costs include:
Solar is such a significant investment in India, like many other developing countries, because electricity rates are high (Rs 12-18/kWh) compared to the US, where they generally range from $0.08-0.12 kWh. Indian consumers also consume more electricity due to a lack of energy efficiency. This high rate at which people use electricity is why rooftop solar makes so much sense for India, especially when you consider that peak rates are often double the off-peak rates. The ROI will depend on the installation cost and how much money you can save by switching from grid power to solar power.
The return on investment in solar systems can be anywhere between five to fifteen years, depending on the quality of installation, size and type of system installed, etc. You must know how much your ROI will be before deciding because many people fail to consider this when they sign up for rooftop solar.
Rooftop solar panels could be an excellent investment in Bangalore, but you need to do your homework before signing up. Many websites can provide information on prices and installation costs for various system sizes, so it is best to get quotes from several companies before making any decisions. This will help ensure that you pay a fair price for your system and that you can get the most bang for your buck.
It would be best to research how much electricity is produced by rooftop solar in Bangalore because it varies depending on the time of year (peak demand during hot summer months) and location (panel orientation, shading). The best way to figure out what size installation you need is to measure your electricity usage.
How to install a rooftop solar panel system?
Rooftop solar panel systems are generally installed on the roof of a house. A basic installation requires mounting thin-film photovoltaic modules onto a metal rack. The rack is attached to an aluminum angle that is screwed into place on the roof trusses or framing. While homeowners can mount and install their solar panels, it is recommended to hire a professional installer. A professional installer will ensure that the system is installed correctly and in compliance with all locally applicable regulations.
The process of setting up a rooftop solar power plant includes:
– Installing modules and racks to roof trusses and aluminum frame. We should fix the solar panels in such a way that they can absorb sunlight from all angles, including the sides of the building.
Connect the solar power system with an inverter to convert the DC current produced by the module into AC electricity. We should hire an electrician or certified person to install the components safely.
– Installing safety barriers and labels, as required by local building codes.
– Finally, interconnection with the utility grid is done through an inverter that allows exporting (selling) extra power produced during daylight hours back into the electric grid for credit on monthly energy bills.
Rooftop Solar in Bangalore – A few things you need to know before investing in it
The city of Bangalore is a hub for startups, big companies, and IT geeks. With the government policy to promote rooftop solar power with subsidies from both Central and State governments, people are rushing into this business in record numbers.
You can see advertisements everywhere promoting “Rooftop Solar Power Projects” and “Solar Rooftop Solutions.”
The policy was meant to promote local manufacturing of solar cells, but it has had the opposite effect, with cheap imports flooding the market from China and Malaysia. Most companies import polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon cells in bulk without any value addition and install them on residential and commercial buildings rooftops.
The Central government is offering a subsidy (30%) up to Rs 28,000 for domestic systems and (50% )up to Rs 52,000 for commercial systems with a net metering facility. Some states like Delhi offer up to 50% subsidies on solar panels for residential and commercial consumers.
The biggest issue is that these systems do not generate any power during the monsoon months (June to September) as there are frequent rain showers in Bangalore, which reduces up to 50% of generation from solar modules. Frequent cloud and dust cover also reduce efficiency significantly, resulting in a sharp drop in generation.
In addition to the above, with a battery backup of only about an hour (at best), these systems make no sense for buildings with load shedding or frequent power cuts during the day. Solar panels do not generate any power when there is a grid failure, and most people don’t have generators to support the solar panels during such times.
Most customers do not realize these facts and go ahead with this investment in rooftop solar power. After that, only know that they cannot sell back any power to the grid as it is unviable for distribution companies (DISCOMS) who purchase less than Rs 0.25 per unit.
The key considerations when choosing an installer for your project:
Many companies claim to be installing rooftop solar projects. So choose your installer carefully as the quality of their work will directly affect how much power you generate from a given area and how long it lasts. When evaluating any company, ask them for references from people who have recently bought a fully integrated system (with battery back up) in your area.
Most companies will not install integrated systems with battery backup because it makes no business sense for them to do so as they cannot sell any power during the day when there is a grid failure. Such systems make only economic sense if you have a diesel generator or an inverter that can provide light and fans for about an hour in case of power cuts.
The second thing to look for is what kind of warranty they offer on their systems and how long the warranty period lasts (usually between 20 – 25 years). A good company will provide a comprehensive warranty covering all components, including inverters, batteries, panels, etc.. Since most companies do not offer a full warranty (especially on batteries), it is always better to ask for a written guarantee before purchasing.
The third thing to consider when choosing an installer is their experience providing rooftop solar systems and how much they have invested in training themselves. Experience matters because if they don’t know what they are doing, you are likely to end up with a substandard system that generates less power and is more prone to damage due to poor quality workmanship.
The last thing you need when choosing an installer for your project is lots of hassles in getting approvals from the authorities and utility companies for connecting solar panels into their grid. So choose an installer that is well connected to the bureaucracy of your city and who can get all the required approvals without any delays.
Another point to consider while choosing a good company for installing rooftop solar panels on your building is their financial credentials, including payment history with customers and suppliers. If you have no credit score, it is always better to choose a company with sound financial credentials, as most suppliers will not release materials for the project without a down payment.
Rooftop solar panels can be an attractive proposition for reducing your monthly electricity bill and going green. However, it is crucial to do proper research before investing in a rooftop solar system – especially if you live in Bangalore, where power cuts are frequent during the day. You don’t want to invest money into something that won’t save you any money or, worse yet, lose all of your investment by not being able to sell back excess energy generated from such systems when there’s no grid connectivity.
I hope this article gave some key considerations when choosing an installer for installing a rooftop solar panel project on your building. Do let us know what other questions we can answer about this subject matter below. Thanks for reading.