Off-Grid Type Solar
Let’s LEARN How to Live Independent off-the-grid
Solar for Sustainability!
One step at a time for a strong foundation!
Electric Grid
An electrical or electric grid is a network for transmitting the electric current from producers to the consumers. In simple terms, Grid = Electricity Board’s Power Supply Line. For Example, BESCOM in Bangalore (Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company Ltd.)
“Grid” Synonyms:
- Utility Grid
- Power Grid
- Utility Power Grid
- Mains Electric Supply
- DISCOM Grid – (Electricity) DIStribution COMpany
- Local ESCOM – Electricity Supply COMpanies
In several areas, the Mains Electricity supply is also provided by a private distribution company.
Photovoltaics (PV) System
PhotoVoltaic or PV, where “Photo” means “Light” and “Volt” refers to “Electricity”. PV system is a solar power generating unit that converts Sun Light into usable electric power (DC) with the help of Solar Modules.
The Solar modules are made up of photovoltaic cells or solar cells that produce electricity. A solar cell is a device that converts light energy into electrical power through the process of photovoltaic effect.
“Solar Module” Synonyms:
- Solar Panel
- Solar panel plate
- Solar PV module
- Photo-voltaic panel
Off-Grid Solar PV System
“Off-Grid” refers to the Solar PV rooftop system NOT having a connection to the DISCOM Grid.
An Off-Grid Solar PV system is a solar energy production station that is NOT connected to the Power Grid & hence it is an independent unit off the grid. It is installed at a shadow-free area on the roof of a building for captive consumption and it functions with a Battery Bank.
“Off-Grid system” Synonyms:
- Standalone unit
- Stand-alone Power System (SAPS or SPS)
- Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS)
Who should opt for Off-Grid Solar System?
Self Sufficient
Those who want to be absolutely independent and live off-the-grid
Very High Power Outage
Commercial spaces looking for predictable and reliable electricity
Farm House
For farm stays or agricultural land to generate in-house power supply
Common Areas
Common areas in apartments, residential layouts, villa community, offices or commercial complexes
Captive Consumption
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Businesses or Industries that rely highly on DG Genset
Remote Areas
Ideal for distant locations without any access to Grid supply like Rural places, Towns or Sub-Urban regions
Advantages
NO Electricity bills
Fully Independent, self-sufficient & cut off from the Grid.
Total Protection against the increase in DISCOM Tariffs.
Ecological Initiative
Offsetting Carbon footprint.
Pollution Free – clean & green energy.
24-Hour Power Supply
NO concept of power cuts.
Very quick installation time as No separate permissions are required (as there is no grid export).
Tax Benefits
Accelerated Depreciation on Solar Assets for Industry (Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System or MACRS)
Renewable Energy Transition
Solar for Sustainability
Alternative Solar Solutions
The Off-Grid solar system has a recurring maintenance cost for the storage battery and also the solar batteries may need a replacement after a few years (Battery Bank can be expensive). In addition, one may experience a complete blackout if there is a technical issue either in the roof top solar panels or in the solar battery.
Sometimes, even a well-designed Battery backup system may not suffice your increasing electrical consumption or there might be a lower solar power production due to the lack of sufficient solar insolation than normally expected, leading to a power blackout. At PLASMASOLAR, our Experts make sure you don’t have to face such a situation.
So, What are the Alternatives?
DG Back-up
To cater to extreme situations, an Off-Grid solar system may be backed-up with a DG Generator so that absolute power outage is avoided.
Alternative Solar Solutions
If the Off-Grid Solar PV System doesn’t seem like a suitable solution for your situation, then you can opt for a Hybrid Solar PV System with its Triple power back-up protection tackles all the issues faced in both on-grid system and an off-grid solar system.
How does the Stand-Alone system work?
Scene 1: During Sunlight
The solar energy generated is consumed internally as per the electrical load demands of the user, and the excess solar power produced is stored in the batteries to be used later.
There is no interaction with the grid in this system and hence the net-metering or gross metering interface is absent.
Scene 2: During Rainy Days
During rainy days & the winter season when the Solar Insolation is low and solar electricity generation is reduced, the battery bank satisfies the electricity needs. But for the battery to support for a longer period of time, the Off-Grid system has to be well-designed taking into consideration the climate of the local region & also the electricity consumption pattern of the user. This is where PLASMASOLAR’s experience in the renewable energy sector comes into play. Our well-seasoned & experienced engineers design the perfect system which can provide you uninterrupted power supply throughout the year.
Solar Power Production in India has very high potential in spite of the number of cloudy days. On-site Solar generation is being implemented across India and the captive consumption of solar will provide rich dividends in the longer period, especially to large power consumers.
Scene 3: During the Night
During the night when the sunlight is absent, the battery single-handedly powers the energy needs of the consumer. Solar panels are completely in sleeping mode during the night and the power supply is from the battery alone. Again, this has been stressed enough that the off grid system needs to be well-designed by experienced professionals for a seamless and reliable power supply.