Are you planning to purchase a new Solar power plant But not sure which type of solar plant will be best fit for your need! Don’t worry! We are here to help you.
Types of Solar Power Plant
There are basically three major types of Solar Power Plants; On-Grid, Off-Grid, and Hybrid. All these solar power systems are different from each other based on their features and specifications whereas all solar power plants function on the same principle.
Let us try to give you some basic understanding of all three types and Of-course we are there for you for further expert consultation, free of cost!
On-Grid Solar Power Plant
As the name suggest On-grid solar plant must be connect to the utility grid to carry out its function. It is the most popular type of Solar power plants and can be used for any type of electric loads residential, commercial and industrial. Typically, it is best suited in areas with consistent power supply from the utility grid. The excess power produced is sent to the grid. The accounting of electricity produced by on-grid solar power plant is done through the net metering system by the Indian Govt DISCOMs.
Advantages of On-grid Power Plant
- Electricity bills reduction up to 100%
- Most economical Solar Power Plant, no battery banks required to store power
- Very low maintenance costs
- Excess generated energy can be sold to DISCOMs.
Disadvantages of On-grid Power Plant
- It does not work during electricity outage or grid unavailability
Off-Grid Solar Power Plant
Off-grid solar power plant system is independent of utility grids/ DISCOMs. We can consider them as our private power plants. Power generated during day time is used to run the electric loads and all the unused extra power is collected in battery banks. It is usually installed in areas that have regular power outages or low sunlight. The battery banks offer backup power throughout such hours.
The solar inverter allows this system to convert DC (Direct Current) arriving from the batteries into AC (Alternating Current). Typically, most household appliance runs on AC these days.
Therefore, if you don’t have an electricity connection or a dependable grid and you want to store electricity, then an off-grid solar power plant is recommended for you.
Advantages of Off-grid Power Plant
- No dependency on utility company/DISCOMs
- Economical substitute in isolated areas than extending grid
- Good option in areas with frequent power cuts
- Battery back-up can be designed as per needs
Disadvantages of Off-grid Power Plant
- More costly compared to On-Grid systems as batteries are additional components
- Batteries require timely maintenance
- Power is wastage when there is no/low power usage
- Cannot run very heavy loads like industrial loads typically greater than 50KW
Hybrid Solar Power Plant
This type of solar plant system is a combination of both on-grid and off-grid solar power plants, here the system is connected to the grid and also contains a battery bank for back up during grid outage. It is suited for areas that cannot rely on their electricity providers and need a backup during unpredictable power cuts.
A hybrid solar power plant offers you both the features of an on-grid solar system as well as the on-grid solar system.
Advantages of Hybrid Power Plant
- Power availability is always there
- Extra produced energy is exported to utility company
Disadvantages of Hybrid Power Plant
- More costly than on-grid Solar power plants.
- Batteries require regular maintenance as they have a limited life
Conclusion
One option does not fit all, every electricity consumer has a different situation and need. There are lot of factors like your budget, grid service at your location, the space required to install the system, etc. that will determine which option is the best fit for your needs. So it becomes important to take the expert consultation before finalizing your solar plant.
Solar ACDB
It is an important part of solar system. It provides extra protection to the system in case of failures on load side. ACDB is made up of circuit breaker, isolators, voltage and current monitoring etc. To ensure maximum protection to the sophisticated electronic equipment, It has provision for surge protection in the box along with fuses. ACDB comes in various sizes depending upon the capacity of solar plant and number of phases in AC grid supply.
DC Distribution Box (DCDB)
The DC distribution unit is used to collect the DC output from Array Junction Box (AJB) and supply it to the inverter. DC Distribution Box comes with fuse of proper rating depending upon the capacity of the power plant and the battery bank are used. It protects the inverter from the DC sides faults. DCDB boxes also come in various sizes depending on the number of PV strings that needs to be connected to solar inverter.
Solar DC & AC cables
Cables are another important component of any solar plant. The electricity produced from solar panels travel through the cables thus the right sizing of DC/AC cable is must to fully harness the produced solar electricity as well as maintain the safety of system from overloading. We work with best of the brands solar cables like Polycab, KEI, Finolex
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