SOLAR HANDBOOK

RattanIndia Solar
 SOLAR HANDBOOK V1

Table of Contents
Basics of Solar ................................................................................................................................... 4
Solar Rooftop Systems ................................................................................................................... 5
Grid Tied Solar System ................................................................................................................... 5
Key Components of On-Grid System .......................................................................................... 5
Scenarios Analysis:..................................................................................................................... 8
Off Grid Solar System ..................................................................................................................... 9
Key Components of an Off Grid System.................................................................................... 10
Scenarios Analysis:................................................................................................................... 11
Hybrid Solar System..................................................................................................................... 11
Types of Metering ........................................................................................................................... 11
Net Metering ............................................................................................................................... 12
Scenario Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 13
Advantages of Net Metering: ................................................................................................... 13
Grid connectivity levels ................................................................................................................... 14
Suggesting a Solar Solution .............................................................................................................. 15
Why PV system ............................................................................................................................ 15
Grid Tie or Battery Backed Solar System ...................................................................................... 15
Key Parameters ........................................................................................................................... 15
System Sizing ............................................................................................................................... 16
On-Grid.................................................................................................................................... 16
Key Customer Segments .................................................................................................................. 19
Education Institutes ..................................................................................................................... 19
Hotels .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Petrol Pumps ............................................................................................................................... 19
Religious Institution ..................................................................................................................... 20
Small & Medium Entrepreneur (SME) .......................................................................................... 20
Warehouse .................................................................................................................................. 20
Must Knows .................................................................................................................................... 21
Frequently Asked Questions Rooftop ............................................................................................ 23
Supplements ................................................................................................................................... 31

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What is Renewable Energy .......................................................................................................... 31
Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission ..................................................................................... 32
Irradiance & Isolation .................................................................................................................. 32
Solar radiation measurement ...................................................................................................... 33
Commercially available solar material technologies ..................................................................... 34
Crystalline................................................................................................................................ 34
Thin film .................................................................................................................................. 34
Series and Parallel connections .................................................................................................... 34
Parameters influencing the performance of Solar PV systems ...................................................... 35
Tilt angle...................................................................................................................................... 35
Dust............................................................................................................................................. 36
Shading ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Temperature ............................................................................................................................... 36
Light Intensity .............................................................................................................................. 37
AC & DC Coupled PV Systems ...................................................................................................... 38
DC Coupled PV Systems ............................................................................................................... 38
AC Coupled PV Systems ............................................................................................................... 38
Power Factor ............................................................................................................................... 39
Input Surge Current ..................................................................................................................... 39
Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) ......................................................................................... 40
Renewable Energy Certification (REC) .......................................................................................... 40
Calculating electrical units consumed by an appliance ................................................................. 41
Glossary .......................................................................................................................................... 42

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Basics of Solar

Solar technologies convert sunlight into usable electricity or heat

There are mainly 2 types of solar technologies

1. Solar Thermal
It uses heat component of solar rays
Collects heat by absorbing sunlight
No electricity is generated
Example solar water heater , solar cooker

2. Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

It uses brightness of solar rays
Converts sunlight directly into Direct Current (DC)
Inverters can be used for DC to AC conversion
Example solar rooftop systems & solar water pumps

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Solar Rooftop Systems
Solar rooftop systems come in 3 variants:

1. Grid tied / On Grid solar systems

2. Off Grid solar systems
3. Hybrid Solar systems

Grid Tied Solar System

Grid-tied systems are connected to the electrical grid, and allow residents of a building to use solar
energy as well as electricity from the grid. Grid-tied systems do not need to produce 100% of the
electricity demand for a home or business. Living with a grid-tied solar PV system is no different than
living with utility electricity, except that some or all of the electricity you use comes from the sun. In
these systems, there will not be any battery bank.

Schematic Diagram: On-Grid System

Key Components of On-Grid System

1. Solar Module / Panel

Converts sun light into electricity (DC)
Typical life of solar module is 25 years (80% efficiency)
There are mainly 2 types of SPV modules technologies

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o Thin Film
i. Lower efficiency than crystalline
ii. Area required for 1 kWp generation~16sqm
iii. Slightly cheaper than crystalline
o Crystalline
i. Higher efficiency than thin film
ii. Can be either mono or multi type
iii. Area required for 1 kWp generation~12sqm
iv. Typical life of solar module is 25 years (80% efficiency)

A set of solar panels connected in series / parallel are called solar array. Also solar panels are also called solar modules.

2. Inverter
Converts DC output of solar module into AC
Life of the solar inverter can be from 5 years to 25 years depending on the make
(company)
Most popular types of solar inverters are
a. Grid Tied
i. Can interact with the electricity grid
ii. Can be either central or string type
b. Off Grid
i. Cannot interact with the electricity grid

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3. Solar Meter
Measures the energy generated by the solar system

4. Disconnect A/C Switch

Safety mechanism to ensure that the system is disconnected in case of any
anomaly

5. Distribution Panel
o Distributes the power coming from solar system, electricity grid and diesel
generator to the building loads. Generally top priority is given to solar energy,
followed by grid power, followed by diesel generator. It means that first all solar
energy will be consumed, and if then there is need then only electricity from
grid will be used.

6. Net Meter / Di-Directional Meter

Bi-directional meter records the power flowing in two directions. It
measures how much electricity customer uses from Electrical Grid and how
much electricity the solar system / consumer supplies to the grid. It shows
the net import / export of power to the grid.

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7. Transformer
A transformer is a device that changes an electrical voltage or current from
one level to another.
Transformers are used to:
i. Convert high voltage alternating current (AC) to desired low voltage
alternating current (AC). Such transformers are called step down
transformers.
ii. Convert low voltage alternating current (AC) to desired high voltage
alternating current (AC). Such transformers are called step up
transformers.
iii. Electrically separate one part of the circuit (or any other electrical
system) from the other part, termed as 'electrical isolation'. Such
transformers are called isolation transformers.
The transformation involves a slight loss of power.

Transformers are commonly used for system sizes greater than 100kWp. For smaller systems, there is generally no need to
install a transformer.

Scenarios Analysis:
1. When solar system is not producing enough energy to cater to all the loads: When a home
or business is using energy, but the solar panels aren't producing enough energy (at night, or
on a stormy day), electricity from the grid supplements for the energy deficit. In this case the
building will be drawing electricity from both solar system and electricity grid
2. When solar system is producing excess energy than connected loads: Solar system will
provide complete energy for the building and the excess energy generated will be exported
to the electricity grid.

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3. When there is no demand but solar system is producing electricity: The solar system
exports excess electricity back out into the grid for use elsewhere.

Grid-tied systems do not provide protection from power outages. When the electrical grid fails, grid-tied systems
will not produce any electricity. This allows utility employees to fix the power lines safely without worrying that
when grid is off the solar systems might still feed electricity into the power lines.

Off Grid Solar System

Solar systems which are not connected in any way to electricity grid are known as Off Grid Systems.
They are also called grid independent systems. Here the solar system is talking care of all the
requisite loads on its own. An off-grid system requires a storage system for the electricity that you
produce so that it will be available for times when there is no source of electricity. This storage
system is one of the main features that distinguish an off-grid system from a grid-tied system. The
other is a backup generator for long periods of non-sunny days / cloudy days

Schematic Diagram: Off-Grid System

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Key Components of an Off Grid System

The solar off grid system has only 2 additional components than an on-grid system

1. Charge Controller / Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT)

Regulates voltage and current coming from SPV module and going into battery
Prevents batteries from being over charged and from discharging through the solar module
array at night
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charge controller
o Is most efficient type of charge controller
o A little costlier than the standard charge controller
Typical life of a good charge controller is 2 years

2. Battery
Converts stored chemical energy into electrical energy
Stores the solar power generated (can be charged by grid as well) and discharge the power
as needed
Battery life is a function of Depth of Discharge and number of charging cycles
Typical life of battery is 2-5 years

Solar inverters and inverters currently being used in homes are different inverter types. Solar
inverter has some additional components such as MPPT that allow the batteries to be charged at a constant level.
Solar inverters also have islanding protection, which basically means to prevent automatic re-connection.

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Bi directional energy meter is used for on-grid and hybrid systems as there is both import
and export of power from the grid. However, with an off-grid system a unidirectional energy meter is installed as
we need to measure only power imported from the grid, as off-grid systems do not export any power to the grid

Scenarios Analysis:

1. When solar system is not producing enough energy to cater to all the loads: When a home
or business is using energy, but the solar panels aren't producing enough energy (at night, or
on a stormy day) the distribution panel can draw electricity from the following:
a. Battery Bank
b. Diesel Generator
c. Electricity grid
2. When solar system is producing excess energy than connected loads: Solar system will
provide complete energy for the building and the excess energy generated will be used for
charging the battery bank.
3. When there is no demand but solar system is producing electricity: The excess energy
generated will be used for charging the battery bank.

Hybrid Solar System

Solar systems which can interact with the grid (export power) and have a power back up
option as well (battery bank or diesel generator or both) are known as hybrid solar system.
These systems can draw power from the grid as well as export power to the grid.

All on-grid and hybrid solar inverters require a reference frequency and voltage to function.
These inputs can be given either by grid power or by power generated by diesel generator (DG). If neither DG nor
grid power is available, then on-grid and hybrid solar inverters will shut the system down and will not produce any
energy.

On-grid and hybrid solar inverters are also known as grid interactive inverters

Types of Metering
In a solar powered system, usually following two types metering systems are involved:

Gross metering

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Net Metering

In gross metering, entire energy generated by the solar PV system is fed back directly into the utility
grid. In this case, the owner gets incentives based on feed-in tariffs proportional to the energy fed
back to the grid.

However, net metering takes into account the difference of excess energy fed back to the grid and
total energy consumed from the grid by the system owner.

If a city does not have any metering policy in place, then the solar customer cannot feed the
excess energy in the grid. In such cases, a battery bank needs to be provided to store excess energy.

Net Metering
Net metering is an agreement that allows the solar PV system owner to sell excess solar energy to
the utility company or buy deficit energy from the utility company using a meter to track this energy
exchange.

For example, if a residential customer has a solar system on the roof, it may generate more
electricity than the home uses during daylight hours. If the home is net-metered, the electricity
meter will run backwards to provide a credit for the electricity fed by solar system in the grid.
Customers are only billed for their "net" energy use.

The net metering policies of each city define the tariff the utilities will pay for net electrical units
exported to them. It also defines the settling period (1 month, 6 months, 12 months, etc.) for which
net units (difference of units exported to the grid and units imported from the grid) will be
calculated and bill will be generated for

a) Collecting payment to the customer (if units imported from grid is more than units
exported)
OR
b) Making payment to the customer (if units imported from grid is less than units
exported)

Net metering policies are in place in almost all cities. Due to difference in net metering policies
(tariff) of different cities, the benefits of net metering can vary widely for solar customers in
different cities.

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Scenario Analysis

Case 1: If at any moment of time, if solar energy generation (kWh) is less than the load requirement
at that time, the difference of energy is taken from the main grid and the meter runs forward, as
usual. In this case, the system owner is charged for the units (kWh) consumed from the main grid.
Eg. During early morning or during late evening / night.

Case 2: If at any moment of time, if solar energy generation (kWh) is more than the load
requirement at that time, the excess solar energy is fed back to the main grid and the meter now
runs backward. In this case, the system owner gets credit for the units (kWh) fed back to the main
grid. Eg. During peak sunshine hours (afternoon

Case 3: If at any moment of time, if solar energy generation (kWh) is equal to the load requirement
at that time, the meter now stays at same reading as there is neither import nor export of energy.

Thus, at the end of the billing period:

If case 1 > case 2, then the owner is charged for the difference of units as per usual retail tariff

If case1 < case 2, then the difference of units is either carried forward to the next billing period or
the owner is paid for the difference of units as per the tariff decided by the concerned utility.

Advantages of Net Metering:

The 3 most important advantages of net metering are:

1. Financial benefit for the system owner

Since the system owner is charged for the net energy consumed from the utility grid, the owner gets
financial benefits. Eg. If energy generation < energy consumed: owner pays just for the net amount.
If energy generation > energy consumed: the owner gets credit for excess generation.

2. Avoid the use of batteries

In a grid connected solar pv system, any excess energy generated can be fed back to local utility grid
and can be taken back at later stage when required. Thus, there is no need to store the surplus
energy in batteries for later use, thus, avoiding the heavy costs of batteries. Also, since batteries are

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eliminated, the maintenance costs of the system also reduce to a great extent. Batteries may be
required only when there are frequent power fluctuations/outages.

3. Produce more today, use that tomorrow

Typically, a solar power system produces more energy in summer and comparatively less energy in
winter. Eg. If in summer, solar power generates 100 units and load requirement is 80 units, then 20
units can be fed back to the grid. In winter, solar power generates only 60 units and load
requirement is 80 units, then 20 units can be taken from the grid. Thus, overall excess generation
from solar power system is taken care of and net units consumed from the grid will be zero.

Please note, in a battery-less grid connected system, if there is a power outage and
the grid fails, your solar power system has to stop generating power to ensure safety of the
wiremen working on the failed gridlines.

Please check the city / state policy on metering arrangements before suggesting to customer
which arrangement to go for. Feed in Tariff needs to be defined by the state electricity body for a customer to
benefit from net-metering or gross metering.

Grid connectivity levels

The solar rooftop projects fall within two broad categories

a) The projects connected to HT voltage at distribution network (i.e. below 33 kV)

b) The projects connected to LT voltage i.e. 400/415/440 volts (3-phase) as the case may be or
230 volts (1-phase).

Accordingly, the projects may be under the following two categories.

Category 1: Projects connected at HT level (below33kV) of distribution network The Projects with
proposed installed capacity of minimum 50 kW and upto 500 kW and connected at below 33kV shall
fall with in this category. The projects will have to follow appropriate technical connectivity
standards in this regard.

Category 2: Projects connected at LT level (400 Volts-3 phase or 230 Volts-1 phase) The Projects with
proposed installed capacity of less than100kW and connected of the grid at LT level (400/ 415/ 440
volts for 3-phase or 230V for1-phase) shall fall within this category.

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Suggesting a Solar Solution

Why PV system
Prior to designing any PV Grid Connected system the sales executive should determine, from the
customer main reason for requiring a system. The reasons could include the following:

1. Customer want a system to reduce consumption from grid

2. Customer want to help the environment by using clean renewable energy to supply some (
or all ) of their power requirements

3. Customer want a system that will provide them power during a blackout ( Battery based
system)

A system that is designed to supply power during a blackout (#3) will have different guidelines to a
system designed to reduce consumption from grid (#1 and #2). A suitable battery back-up is
required to be added to support load

Grid Tie or Battery Backed Solar System

If the customer requirement is to support only day time loads then suggest a Grid Tied System,
whereas if the need is to cater to loads post sun set, then a battery bank system (can be off-grid or
hybrid system) needs to be suggested to the customer

Key Parameters
For suggesting a solar system, we need to look at the following parameters:

1. Shadow Free Rooftop Area :- Customer has some area available & wants maximum array
capacity

2. Loads :- Knows his loads and wants an optimum system size as per loads connected

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3. kWp :- Customer has decided some array capacity, has enough loads

System Sizing
On-Grid
kWp on Basis of load

Average load during the peak sunshine hours (10 AM to 2 PM) should be defined

Be on safer side: reduce avg. load to 90% of actual

Avg load = 60kW, final avg load = 0.9 x 60 = 54 kW

Array Capacity: = Load / Losses

Losses: 20% can be taken at this point for analysis

Offered Array Capacity (On Basis of Load) = (54/ 0.8) = 72.2 kWp = 70 kWp

kWp Based on Shadow Free Rooftop Space

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Deciding Factors :- Shadow Free Area Available & Running Loads Pattern during day time

Final offered kWp capacity to customer

minimum (kWp) of above three cases.

Battery Bank Sizing is dependent on the hours of autonomy (back up required)

For suggesting system size always try to find out:-

o Un-usual running load pattern during day time
o Running loads pattern during holidays / weekends

Shadow will be larger if tilt angle is larger. Tilt is usually latitude degree of the place. Larger the
angle more the row space and lesser the kWp and vice versa

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Wrong Way of System Sizing

Case I : Hourly customer loads are know

Case II: Monthly customer energy consumption is known

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Key Customer Segments

Education Institutes

Hotels

Petrol Pumps

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Religious Institution

Small & Medium Entrepreneur (SME)

Warehouse

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Must Knows

On-Grid System

If gross metering / net metering arrangement is not applicable, then the solar system
size (kWp) should be less than the day time connected loads

Poor grid quality affects the energy generation, as the system will not generate any
power without getting the reference Voltage & Frequency from the grid. In case
reference Voltage and Frequency is provided by an alternate power source (Diesel
Generator, etc.) then the solar system will continue to produce power, even when
grid is down.

It is recommended that the distance between solar array area to feeding point
should not be greater than 50 meters

Check strength of roof before suggesting the solution. (Normal test is that if a person
with weight 75Kg can stand, then it is good enough)

Shadow of obstacles will be different on different days of the years. Always take into
account that the length of the shadow may change / increase, before calculating
shadow free area. It will be useful to keep the following in mind:
o Observe parapet wall height. Leave at least 1 m space from the boundary wall
for persons to move around.
o Roofs may have obstructions (think of HVAC, water tanks, pipe lines)

Always check suitability of site for safe installation of PV array. This is seen as
important while making offer and following will help you to understand:
o Access to the roof ( think of carrying materials during I&C, maintenance of
plant)
o Type of roof: RCC / Slanted GI ( think of structural requirements)

If DG is switched on during grid failure, DG rating shall be >1.5 times the solar array
capacity and shall be loaded at least 50% with full solar capacity

If we are synchronising DG with solar system, the DG should comply with the
following:
o Should be of a reputed make
o Should not be older than 5 years

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o Should have an electronic governor (to ensure good power quality)

In absence of net metering / gross metering arrangements, the customer needs to shut down
the system when the loads connected are less than the solar system size (example on holidays, weekends, etc.).
If the same is not done, whatever the solar system will produce will get ADDED (not reduced) from the electricity
bill. The reason is that the system will be having a Uni-directional meter, which cannot differentiate between import
and export of energy., hence the meter reading will increase.

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Frequently Asked Questions Rooftop

1. What is a Solar Rooftop System?

In a solar rooftop system, the solar panels are installed in the roof of any residential,
commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. This can be of two types (i) Solar Rooftop
System with storage facility using battery, and (ii) Grid Connected Solar Rooftop System.

2. What is a Solar Rooftop System with Storage facility?

Such rooftop system has battery as storage facility. The solar electricity is stored in the
battery and can be utilized during night also when the sun is not available.

3. What is a Grid Connected Solar Rooftop System?

In grid connected rooftop or small SPV system, the DC power generated from SPV panel is
converted to AC power using power conditioning unit and is fed to the grid either of 33
kV/11 kV three phase lines or of 440/220 Volt three/single phase line depending on the
capacity of the system installed at institution/commercial establishment or residential
complex and the regulatory framework specified for respective States. These systems
generate power during the day time which is utilized fully by powering captive loads and
feed excess power to the grid as long as grid is available. In case, where solar power is not
sufficient due to cloud cover etc., the captive loads are served by drawing power from the
grid.

4. Where such plants can be installed?

Such rooftop systems can be installed at the roofs of residential and commercial complex,
housing societies, community centres, government organizations, private institutions, petrol
pumps, etc.

5. What is the average cost of grid connected rooftop solar systems?

The average cost of grid connected rooftop solar systems is about Rs. 100 per watt. The cost
will be higher for smaller sized systems. For battery backed systems, the cost is dependent
on the size of battery bank (hours of back up required).

6. What efforts Government is making to providing loans for solar rooftop systems?
Department of Financial services has instructed to all Public Sector Banks to encourage
home loan/ home improvement loan seekers to install rooftop solar PV plants and include
cost of system in their home loan proposals. So far, nine PSBs namely Bank of India,
Syndicate Bank, State Bank of India, Dena Bank , Central Bank of India, Punjab National Bank,
Allahabad Bank, Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank have given instructions to extend
loan for Grid Interactive Rooftop Solar PV Plants as home loan/ home improvement loan.

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7. What is the size of grid connected rooftop solar system?
The rooftop solar systems can start anywhere from 0.5 kWp can can go upto 1 MW in most
cases. If the customer has more roof available then plants with capacity more than 1 MW
can also be installed.

8. What is Net metering?

The grid connected rooftop system can work on net metering basis wherein the beneficiary
pays to the utility on net meter reading basis only. Alternatively two meters can also be
installed to major the export and import of power separately. The mechanism based on
gross metering at mutually agreed tariff can also be adopted.

9. What is Feed-in-Tariff ?
In feed-in-tariff the Government offers a tariff for purchase of the solar power generated
from solar power plants.

10. What is Island Protection?

In case the grid fails, the solar power has to be fully utilized or stopped immediately feeding
to the grid so as to safe-guard any grid person/technician from getting shock (electrocuted)
while working on the grid for maintenance etc. This feature is termed as Islanding
Protection.

11. How much roof area is required to set up the grid connected rooftop solar system?
About 11 sq.m area is required to set up 1 kWp grid connected rooftop solar system. The
exact area varies from city to city. In India the area required per kWp varies from 10 sq.m to
15 sq.m.

12. What are the business models that can facilitate the promotion of grid connected rooftop
solar systems?
There can be many possible business models, some of which can be considered are as
follows:
a) Solar installations owned by consumer
I. Solar Rooftop facility owned, operated and maintained by the consumer(s).
II. Solar Rooftop facility owned by consumer but operated and maintained by
the 3rd party.
b) Solar installations owned, operated and maintained by 3rd Party
If the 3rd party implements the solar facility and provides services to the consumers,
combinations could be:
I. Arrangement as a captive generating plant for the roof owners The 3rd
party implements the facility at the roof or within the premise of the
consumers; the consumer may or may not invest as equity in the facility as
mutually agreed between them. The power is then sold to the roof owner.
II. Solar Lease Model, Sale to Grid The 3rd party implementing the solar facility
shall enter into a lease agreement with the consumer for medium to long
term basis on rent. The facility is entirely owned by the 3rd party and

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consumer is not required to make any investment in facility. The power
generated is fed into the grid and the roof top owner gets a rent.

c) Solar Installations Owned by the Utility

I. Solar installations owned operated and maintained by the DISCOM. The
DISCOM may own, operate and maintain the solar facility and also may opt
to sub contract the operation and maintenance activity. The DISCOM may
recover the cost in the form of suitable tariff. The electricity generation may
also be utilized by DISCOM for fulfilling the solar renewable purchase
obligation.
II. Distribution licensee provides appropriate viability gap funds The DISCOM
may appoint a 3rd party to implement the solar facilities on its behalf and
provide appropriate funds or viability gap funds for implementing such
facility

13. What is Accelerated Depreciation (AD) benefit for commercial customer?

Accelerated depreciation of 80% is available under the Income Tax act for rooftop solar PV
systems. This can provide significant savings to a solar plant developer who is a taxable assesse
and has sufficient profits against which the depreciation can be charged.

Please note that AD benefit can be availed ONLY by profitable commercial customers

14. What are the advantages of a grid connected solar system?

I. A grid-connected photovoltaic power system will reduce the power bill due to the
import and export of power through net metering provision.

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Illustration: someone imports (consumes) 1,000 kWh from the grid and exports 600
kWh to the grid in a billing cycle. The energy bill will be for 400 kWh (1000 kWh 600
kWh) accounted by net meter.
II. Grid-connected PV systems do not require batteries. Batteries are costly require
periodic maintenance and also lead to wastage of 15 20 % energy in storage and
retrieval.
III. Grid-connected PV systems are much easier to operate and maintain.
IV. Segregation of load is not required.

15. What should be the orientation / tilt angle of solar panel?

In order to get the most from solar panels, they must point in the direction that captures
most sunshine. In India, as anywhere in the northern hemisphere, solar panels should face
southwards. In the southern hemisphere; for example, in Australia panels should point
towards north. Here North means the true north not the magnetic north as pointed by the
compass needle.

The default value is a tilt angle equal to the station's latitude plus 15 degrees in winter, or
minus 15 degrees in summer. This normally maximizes annual energy production

16. Will grouting/welding/nuts and bolts be required for solar panel with module mounting
system? Will it damage water proofing of roof?
We provide Ballast type structure for flat roof, and for slopped roof we provide railing
clamping system. Our expertise and experience in installation ensures that roof is not
damaged.

17. What kind of roofing sheet is best suited for solar system installation?
Industrial roofing of branded companies is best suited of 5mm thickness with appropriate
Perling and Rafters.

18. Will the grid tie inverter be used to connect to ups/batteries for power back up?

No it cannot be directly connected. But yes UPS Batteries can be connected after ACDB (AC
Distribution Board)as one of the loads.

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19. Can solar system run an air conditioner or electrical motor?

Technically YES.

Inrush current, input surge current or switch-on surge is the maximum, instantaneous
input current drawn by an electrical device when first turned on. For example, electric
motors and Air Conditioner may draw several times their normal full-load current when
started. The ratio of inrush current to normal full-load current can range from 5 to 100 times
greater. A piece of equipment that draws 1A at normal full load may briefly draw between 5
and 100A when power is first applied.

Hence, if we designing a system to run an Air Conditioner, the system sizing and total cost
may be increase significantly (2-3 times). To save on cost, it is recommended to segregate
the loads, so that all the regular loads (such as lighting, fans, etc.) run on solar and induction
loads (air conditioner, geyser, water pumps, etc.) are run on grid.

20. What is the cost of generation per kWhr for solar systems?
Cost of generation will depend on the capacity. Higher the capacity, lower the price and vice
versa. In general for 100 KW plant the cost per kWHr would be close to Rs 8 (if considered
for a period of 25 years). The actual cost varies from site to site (as installation cost,
structure cost, sun light hours are different for different locations).

21. Will the solar system generate on rainy/cloudy day?

It will generate but will not generate to its full capacity. The generation will be proportionate
to the isolation / brightness of the sun

22. What is difference between a single phase connection and a three phase connection?
In India a single-phase supply is a 230V supply through two wires and 3-phase supply is 415 V
supply through 4 wires and in the house the line can be divided to give 230V at individual
point. The basic difference between the two is that a three-phase connection can handle
heavy load while a single-phase cannot.

To give an analogy to help you understand the difference, lets take an example of a
highway. If the highway is a single lane highway, only a few two wheelers may go on it in
parallel, or if we try to squeeze, we may put two cars running in parallel. But beyond that
things will not move, whereas if we have a 3-lane highway, lot of vehicles can move together
in parallel. Even on a single-phase highway, number of vehicles that can run together also
depends on the size of vehicles. A car and a two-wheeler may easily go in parallel on a
single-lane highway, but a truck may just have to be left alone.

Similarly consider single-phase as a single lane highway and three-phase as a multilane

highway. There is a limit to the load that a single phase can handle and typically that number
is set to 7.5 kW (or 7500 watts or 10 Horse Power). So if sum of wattage of all the appliances
that you are running at a time is more than 7.5 kW, then you need a three-phase connection.
And you can get to 7.5 kW if you have three 1.5 ton ACs and a water heater all running

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together. Or you have a machine that has a motor that is more than 10 HP. If the load is less
than 7.5 kW, then a single-phase connection can easily handle it.

23. Customers electricity bill increased after installing a solar power system?
In absence of net metering / gross metering arrangements, the customer needs to shut
down the system when the loads connected are less than the solar system size (example on
holidays, weekends, etc.). If the same is not done, whatever the solar system will produce
will get ADDED (not reduced) from the electricity bill. The reason is that the system will be
having a Uni-directional meter, which cannot differentiate between import and export of
energy, hence the meter reading will increase.

24. How much electricity can a solar cell produce?

The amount of electricity produced by a solar cell depends on:
i. Surface area of the cell- it is the area that is exposed to the sunlight
ii. Strength of the Sun- it means how bright the sun is (and the brightness depends on
the time of day, weather, latitude etc.)
iii. Length of sunshine- the number of hours for which cell gets the sunshine

25. Does RattanIndia Solar offer remote monitoring?

Yes. On additional cost the following can be provided
i. Solar Log Data Logger + Radiation sensor (Si) (& not Pyranometer)
ii. Paid hosting

Advantages remote monitoring, simultaneous access to several users of same site, energy,
PR, alarms, automated reports etc

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26. Is there any need for load segregation when installing solar system?
For Grid Tie PV systems there is no requirement of segregating the load according the PV
system capacity. For Off Grid system there is a need to segregate the load according to the
PV system capacity installation (according to the inverter capacity).

27. What are the maintenance requirements for a solar system?

For grid tie system there is no maintenance cost except cleaning the PV modules every
fortnight. In off grid systems the batteries require maintenance after every 6 months and
need to be replaced after every 5 years.

28. What is RPO?

RPO is Renewable Purchase Obligation. For details please go thru the Supplements section of
the guide.

29. What are the various power losses in a solar system?

The power loss varies from site to site. A typical systems losses are shown in the below
figure.

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Supplements
What is Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is a form of energy, which comes directly from natural resources such as sunlight,
wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat. It does not have a limited supply and thus can be used again
and again. Further, it will not get exhausted like non-renewable energy sources such as coal, oil and
gas. Most of the renewable energy comes from the sun. Solar energy is produced from the constant
heat and light given out by the sun. Remember sun drives the weather too.

Renewable energy sources can be put down as:

o Solar
o Wind
o Biomass
o Small Hydro
o Geothermal
o Tidal
o Wave

Coal, oil and gas too owe their birth to the mighty sun in one way or the other. The following table
gives a quick glimpse of both the renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for an easy
understanding.

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Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission

In order to tap solar energy in an efficient and effective manner, India has conceived a
national solar mission known as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). The
program has short term and long term targets for solar power development in the country.
The aim is to achieve the following by the end of 13th Five-Year-Plan i.e. by the year 2022:
20,000 MW of grid connected installed solar capacity made of large Photovoltaic
(PV), Solar thermal power plants and small PV systems
2000 MW of off-grid distributed power plants
20 million square meters of solar collectors for low-temperature applications
20 million solar lighting systems for rural areas

Phase wise targets of JNNSM

Irradiance & Isolation

Irradiance
The solar irradiance (denoted by symbol G) is the rate at which the radiant energy is incident on a
unit area of a surface. It is marked in terms of W/m2.

Insolation
The incident solar radiation is also known as insolation. Generally, the insolation for a specific time
period (commonly one hour) is represented by symbol I. While symbol H is used to give insolation
for the day. The H and I values are indicated by W-h/m2/day and W-h/m2/h respectively. In case,
both H and I values are measured on an hourly basis; I numerically becomes equal to G.

Solar radiation is present on nearly each and every place on earth. However, it may or may not be
present for the whole year. The amount of such radiation received can change due to the following
few things:
I. location (like for example Ladakh, Delhi, Rajasthan)
II. time of the day (morning, noon, afternoon)
III. season (Spring, summer, autumn, winter)
IV. local landscape (means mountains, trees, rivers and forests etc.)
V. local weather conditions (air temperature, humidity, wind etc.)

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The sun rays strike the surface of earth at different angles. It ranges from 0 degree (just above the
horizon) to 90 degrees (directly overhead). In simple words, the earth gets all the energy possible
when sun rays are just straight down. However, it may not always be like that.

Solar radiation measurement

Solar radiation is received nearly on all geographical regions of the world. However there are some
parameters which need to be recorded for evaluating the irradiance. These factors are:
latitude, Longitude and Elevation of the site
monthly and yearly averages of solar radiation
minimum/maximum monthly & yearly average insolation
daily Sunshine hours
monthly and yearly average temperature
average daily minimum and maximum temperature
record minimum and maximum temperature
average heating and cooling degree days
average relative humidity and Average wind speed

It is now interesting to take a close look at the graphical representations of monthly global insolation
and the daily insolation in terms of time versus the solar radiation availability in W/m2 right through
the morning hours to late afternoon.

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Commercially available solar material technologies

Following few technologies are now commonly available to make a solar cell/module.

Crystalline
These types of cells are made from thin slices cut from a single crystal of silicon (mono-crystalline). It
can also be made from a block of crystals (polycrystalline). Their efficiency ranges between 14-19%.
Importantly, this technology represents around 80% of the solar cell market today.

Thin film
These types of modules are made by depositing very thin layers of light-sensitive materials onto a
low cost substrate or backing. Such substrate materials can be glass, stainless steel or even plastic.
There are four different types of thin film modules being sold in the market now:
amorphous Silicon (a-Si)
cadmium Telluride (CdTe)
copper indium/gallium diselenide/disulphide (CIS, CIGS)
multi-junction cells (a-Si/m-Si)

Series and Parallel connections

Series wiring of modules adds voltage and parallel wiring adds current. Most of the 12V solar
modules are made up of crystalline silicon solar cells. Here each cell produces 0.5 Volt. The panel is
designed with 36 cells so that it can produce 18 Volts. It is enough to go through a charge controller
to charge a 12 V battery. Solar modules made to charge a 12 volt battery can be series connected in
pairs of modules to charge a 24 volt battery. Simply connect the plus of one to minus of the

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other module. The remaining terminals, minus of the first and plus of the second are the 24 volt
output connections. Together the pair functions as one 24 volt module though with the same
ampere rating as a single module. Four solar modules can be connected in series the same way. This
way it is possible to charge a 48 volt battery. Now think about the parallel connection of solar
modules. Here all the negative terminals are connected together. In the same way, all the positive
terminals are connected together. Remember parallel wiring does not change the voltage. However,
it gives more current capacity. Adding more solar modules with parallel connection charges the
same voltage battery. But it now charges it faster. Below figures show the series and parallel
connection of the solar modules.

Parameters influencing the performance of Solar PV systems

Tilt angle

A solar photovoltaic module collects the maximum solar radiation when the suns rays strike it at
right angles. As the SPV module is tilted away from perpendicular alignment to the suns rays, less
solar energy is received. However, a small deviation ( 5) away from the ideal tilt will not affect
energy output much. The optimal orientation for a solar energy system depends on the site latitude,
date & time of the year.

The default value is a tilt angle equal to the station's latitude plus 15 degrees in winter, or minus 15
degrees in summer. This normally maximizes annual energy production. However, through out the
year the sun's path and the solar altitude vary

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Dust

The modules need to be kept as clean as possible. The dust settles on the module surface mostly in
the dry season. So, proper care should be taken to clean the glass surface of a module regularly.
Remember, dust may cause energy losses as high as 5-10%

Shading

A solar module is made of a string of individual solar cells. These are connected in series with one
another. The current output from the whole module is limited to that passing through the weakest
link cell. Take for example one cell from 36 cells in a module. In case, it is fully shaded, the power
output from the module will come down to zero. However, if, one cell is 50% shaded, then the
power output from the module will reduce by 50% only. Below figure shows the net effect of
shading on the power output expected from a solar module.

The simple solution is to make use of a bypass diode. It can be connected between modules in a
system or between groups of cells in a module. The idea is to ensure that power loss takes place
from just the shaded unit (cell). Now think of a partially shaded module. The current from the
shadow free part of module passes through a diode. It thus bypasses the shaded group of cells.

Temperature
Modules are tested at a standard temperature of 250C . The higher the temperature, the lower is the
power output of a module. Simply put, a module loses power at higher temperatures. The cell
temperature can reach around 70 degrees C under the bright sunlight. The power in case of
crystalline silicon cells decreases by about 0.4 to 0.5% per degree C of temperature increase above
250 C. Amorphous silicon modules have a lower temperature coefficient of about 0.2 to 0.25% per 0C
of temperature increase.

Crystalline modules lose as much as 16% of the available power at air temperature of around 35 0C.
Thin film modules on the other hand lose just half the power at high temperatures.

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Below figure demonstrates the effect of increasing temperature (s) on the module voltage. The
voltage reduces as the temperature goes up. The same is not the case with module current. Thus it
can be said that power output of a module comes down with reducing values of solar insolation and
increasing temperatures.

Light Intensity
The brighter the sunlight the more power the panels will produce. So, if, there is 1000 watts/m 2 of
sunlight, you will see almost the full rated output of the panel. But, if there is 500 watts/square
meter only, you will see half the rated power of the panel. Figure 3.15 shows a clear effect on the
module current as a result of changing values of solar insolation. It goes up in direct proportion with
the increasing solar insolation. The same is not the case with the module voltage

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AC & DC Coupled PV Systems

DC Coupled PV Systems
Most battery-based PV systems are DC-coupledthe PV array sends DC electricity to the system
through a charge controller to the battery bank. That DC power is then drawn from the batteries for
the loads, including through a battery-based inverter for AC loads

AC Coupled PV Systems
In AC-coupled systems, the DC power from the array is first converted to AC by a without battery
inverter, to be used by the AC loads through an AC load panel. Any unused energy is used by a
separate battery-based inverter that either converts the AC to DC to charge the batteries, or, if it is a
grid-tied system, it can also pass through to additional AC loads and/or the grid.

A without battery inverter would normally not turn on without the utility grid present, but many
battery-based inverters create a quality sine wave thats good enough for the without battery
inverter to synchronize with. In grid-tied systems, when the grid goes out, the battery-based inverter
isolates both the load subpanel and the without battery inverter from the utility grid via an internal
transfer switch allowing the without battery inverter to remain on without being connected to the
grid.

For residential systems, a primary advantage of AC coupling over the traditional system design is
that you can add battery backup to an existing without battery grid-tied PV system without changing
the existing systems wiring. An AC-coupled system can also be more efficient than a typical battery
backup system because the without battery inverter is doing the majority of the power conversion.
Efficiency is generally in the 96% to 98% range compared to 90% to 95% for a typical battery-based
inverter.

Disadvantages are a more complicated system to design and program, and more expense, since
youll need two inverters (or more) instead of a single inverter and a charge controller. In off-grid
use, AC-coupled systems are not self-restarting if the battery-based inverters happen to shut down
because of low battery voltage. If this happens, the battery less inverter does not sense AC voltage,
and thus does not turn on to send array energy to the batteries. A DC-coupled system can self-
restart even if the inverter shuts down from low battery voltage, because the charge controller can
still charge the batteries.

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Power Factor

The power factor of an AC electrical power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing
to the load to the apparent power in the circuit and is a dimensionless number in the closed
interval of -1 to 1. A power factor of less than one means that the voltage and current waveforms
are not in phase, reducing the instantaneous product of the two waveforms. Due to energy stored in
the load and returned to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the
current drawn from the source, the apparent power will be greater than the real power. A negative
power factor occurs when the device (which is normally the load) generates power, which then
flows back towards the source, which is normally considered the generator

In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a
high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase
the energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and other equipment. Because of
the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost
to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor.

Linear loads with low power factor (such as induction motors) can be corrected with a passive
network of capacitors or inductors. Non-linear loads, such as rectifiers, distort the current drawn
from the system. In such cases, active or passive power factor correction may be used to counteract
the distortion and raise the power factor. The devices for correction of the power factor may be at a
central substation, spread out over a distribution system, or built into power-consuming equipment.

Input Surge Current

Inrush current, input surge current or switch-on surge is the maximum, instantaneous
input current drawn by an electrical device when first turned on. For example, electric
motors and Air Conditioner may draw several times their normal full-load current when started. In
simple terms, the electrical appliance may require only 1 unit (kWhr) to run, but may require 5 units
to start.

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Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO)

RPO is Renewable Purchase Obligation. This is a mechanism by which the State Electricity Regulatory
Commissions are obliged to purchase a certain percentage of power from renewable energy sources.
RPO is being implemented throughout the country to create demand for renewable energy.

RPO is of two categories (a) Non Solar & (b) Solar. Under the solar obligation, every State in the
country has announced a solar specific percentage as part of overall RPO. RPOs are enforced on
three categories of consumers (a) Distribution Licensees, (b) Open Access Consumers & (c) Captive
Consumers.

Renewable Energy Certification (REC)

RECs are aimed at addressing the mismatch of renewable energy resources in the States and their
RPO requirements. Obliged entities can fulfill their RPOs by purchasing RECs.

RECs are traded on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and the Power Exchange of India Ltd (PXIL).

In line with RPOs there are two categories of RECs Solar & Non-Solar.

Solar RECs include both PV and CSP technologies. Non-solar RECs include renewable energy
technologies such as biomass, wind, biofuel, cogeneration & small hydro. Solar RECs are traded once
a month last Wednesday of every month.

In order to provide a minimum of certainty on REC prices, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
(CERC) has fixed a floor and forbearance price for the period upto 2017 between which the REC can
be traded.

Floor Price is Rs 9300/- per MW and the Forbearance Price is Rs 13400/- per MW

Penalty for non-fulfillment of RPO will be the forbearance price.

There are three categories of solar projects that are eligible for RECs

1. Projects for captive consumption (Self use) Eligible for REC only if concessions are not
availed in transmission and wheeling charges, banking charges and electricity duty
2. PPA with distribution licensee PPA with local distribution company at average power
purchase cost (APPC) as determined by SERC.PPA at preferential tariff are not eligible
3. Sale to open access consumers Sale at mutually agreed market determined price with all
the transmission & wheeling and other charges payable to the Transco / DISCOM duly paid

The National Tariff Policy was amended in January 2011 to prescribe solar-specific RPO be increased
from a minimum of 0.25 per cent in 2012 to 3 per cent by 2022. CERC and SERCs have issued various
regulations including solar RPOs, REC framework, tariff, grid connectivity, forecasting etc. for
promoting solar energy. Many States have come up with up their own Solar Policy.

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Calculating electrical units consumed by an appliance
Steps to be followed to calculate annual energy consumption of an appliance

1. Estimate of total hours of daily usage of the appliance: Example an electric kettle (for tea making)
is used several times per day, for about 1 total hour in a day.

2. Know the Wattage of the appliance: The wattage is generally written on the label of the
appliance. For example the wattage listed for an electric kettle is 1500 W.

3. Calculate the Daily energy consumption: This is equal to (Wattage of appliance) X (Hours the
appliance is run / used)
If the electrical kettle with wattage reading 1500W is run for 1 hour then the total
unit(1,500 W 1) 1,000 = 1.5 kWh

We are dividing by 1000 to convert WattHour into KiloWattHour (kWh)

More Examples

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Glossary

PV Photovoltaic

SPV Solar Photovoltaic

PMU Power Management Unit

MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracking

DC Direct Current

AC Alternating current

Wp Watt Peak (Maximum Wattage a solar module can produce)

kWHr KiloWattHour

DoD Depth of Discharge (percentage of battery discharged)

KVA Kilo Volt Ampere

V Voltage

I Current

A Ampere

PF Power Factor

VFD Variable Frequency Drive

MMS Module Mounting Structure

BOM Bill of Material (name of components which will be supplied in a system)

BOS Balance of System (all components of system less module, inverters and battery)

Pay Back period time in which the savings / earnings from the system helps in recovering

the cost of the system

DISCOM Distribution Company

FiT Feed in Tarriff

MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

SECI Solar Energy Corporation of India

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JNNSM Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission

RPO Renewable Purchase Obligation

SPO Solar Purchase Obligation

REC Renewable Purchase Certificate

IEC - Indian Energy Exchange

PXIL - Power Exchange of India Ltd

APPC - Average power purchase cost

CERC - Central Electricity Regulatory Commission

SERC - State Electricity Regulatory Commission

PPA Power Purchase Agreement

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