Today, solar power can be easily installed in your home. It is a sustainable and reliable source of power when channelized to power your household devices. There has never been a better time to invest in solar installations than now, with a greater number of renewable energy targets set in place in India. In this article, we will help you understand everything about a solar PV system.
What is a Solar PV System & How Does It Function?
The term solar PV refers to solar photovoltaics. It is a device that helps in the conversion of light into electrical power (as opposed to Solar Thermal for the purpose of heating water).
A solar PV system uses solar cells for the conversion of sunlight into electricity. The photovoltaic cells consist of a layer or two of the semiconducting material, mostly silicon. When the sunlight shines on the cell, it creates an electric field across the layers causing the electric current to flow. Remember, the greater the intensity of light, the better the flow of electricity.Â
Components of the solar PV system
A typical solar PV system includes the following:
1. Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels
They are also called a module and consist of specialized cells that generate an electric current in the presence of sunlight. When the sun shines on the PV cells, an electric field gets generated. The stronger the sunlight, the greater the electric energy produced. However, the cells do not need direct sun rays falling on them to work. They can produce electricity on a cloudy day as well.
A group of these modules together in a series is referred to as a string. This string determines the operating voltage of the solar PV system, which is of great significance to the inverter type and the drop in voltage. The string, modules and the cells together lead to an end result called the ‘array’.
2. Inverter
A solar inverter is an important component of the solar PV system and can be called the system’s brain. It is generally placed in the loft space and converts direct current output to an alternating current output. The array’s power is converted by the inverter and then connected via insulators- one on the AC side and the other on the DC side (PV module).
3. Generation Meter
A generation meter helps monitor what the solar PV system is generating. The generation meter flashes a red light when the solar PV system is generating electricity. The brighter the day, the faster the red flashes will be.
4. Solar PV system monitoring
Monitoring the system is a great way to verify the correctness of the system’s working and operation. This energy monitoring can be as simple as keeping track of the output by noting it down once a month and making a comparison against the output that is expected. If a significant difference is found, it can be indicative of a problem with the system that must be rectified.
Luminous is a pioneer of solar power solutions in India and comes with a complete range of solar PV systems, inclusive of solar PV panels. The polycrystalline panels are made of cells cut from a silicon block and are perfect to use based on the solar conditions in India. Also, monocrystalline panels are made of cells that are cut from a single silicon crystal and have a smooth texture. You can explore the complete range of products offered by Luminous and have your power requirements fulfilled.
