Solar Power Panel Installation in Summer: 5 Reasons Why the Season is the Best
Kerala enjoys a tropical climate with high wind speeds, abundant rainfall, and ample sunshine. Summers in Kerala are characterized by relentless sunshine, scorching heat, and soaring electricity bills. But the season also presents an opportunity to leverage the abundant sunshine to go solar and progress towards a sustainable future.
Further, to be completely green-powered by 2040, Kerala joined the group of energy-rich states in India last year by generating over 1000 MW of wind and solar energy. The blog discusses the different advantages of solar power panel installation for houses in Kerala this summer.
Read further: Kerala Joins List of Renewable Energy-rich States
Benefits of Solar Power Panel Installation in Summer for Kerala Homes.
Maximized Solar Energy Production in Summer
One of the major benefits of solar power panel installation in the summer for Kerala homes is the availability of longer daylight hours. Extended daylight hours in summer facilitate more time for your rooftop solar panels to produce electricity. Further, as the availability of sunlight varies throughout the day, solar energy production during summer remains the highest during midday.
Another benefit of installing different types of solar panels at home during the summer is the availability of high sunlight intensity. Typically, heat hurts the efficiency of solar panels. But as the photovoltaic cells in a solar panel receive more sunlight, it causes more electrons to move, producing more electric current.
The impact of sunlight intensity and long daylight hours is more significant in places away from the equator. These places have substantially longer days in summer than in winter. Despite any loss of solar energy efficiency due to high temperatures, the solar panels in these places get more time to generate electricity.
With the installation of rooftop solar panels gaining more prominence, solar power production in Kerala, India, is increasing. Hence, while discussing the benefits of solar power panel installation in summer for Kerala homes, it is important to mention that the state intends to use renewable sources to fulfill 50% of its energy needs by 2027.
Benefits of Solar Power Panel Installation in Summer for Kerala Homes: Immediate Reduction in Electricity Bills
Summers in India are getting hotter, and more households are using cooling appliances than in the past. A combination of a clearer sky, more sunlight, and longer days results in the production of more solar energy in summer.
This surplus energy could be used to power the cooling appliances, thus reducing the need for conventional grid power. Thus, solar power panel installation during or before summer can result in immediate savings in the form of low electricity bills.
It is observed that the adoption of solar energy solutions during the summer helps Indian households experience a significant lowering in their electricity bills. Depending on energy consumption, system size, and other factors, the potential savings by these households range from 20% to 50%.
Households can also benefit from programs such as net metering, in which they would be selling the excess power back to the grid. The credits they thus receive help them to reduce their electricity bill further. Another of the major benefit of solar power panel installation in the summer for Kerala homes is the lowering of pollution levels.
Solar Power Panel Installation: Efficient Use of Solar Panel Energy
The following are a few ways in which you can optimize solar energy efficiency from photovoltaic panels.
• Focus on the efficiency of the unit during solar power panel installation.
• Optimize the placement and orientation of the solar panels.
• Rely more on energy-efficient appliances.
Further, you should pay attention to a few factors while choosing efficient solar panels, including:
• Types of solar panels: Polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar panels offer more efficiency than those with older technologies.
• Efficiency rating: Solar power panels with a high-efficiency rating can convert more sunlight into electric power.
• Panel warranty: Panels with a good warranty protect your investment.
The following are how the orientation and placement of panels are optimized:
• The panel angle should match the latitude of its location for capturing optimal sunlight throughout the year.
• Position the panels ideally towards the equator with a light tilt for maximum exposure to and capture of sunlight.
• Place panels in open areas to minimize shading from structures like buildings and trees.
Appliances with a high rating for energy efficiency consume less electricity. The energy efficiency can also be increased through:
• Unplugging or turning off unused appliances
• Scheduling energy-intensive tasks like air-conditioning or washing clothes during peak availability of sunlight to optimize the use of solar energy.
Further, maintaining your solar system with regular and proper inspection, cleaning, and maintenance can help improve solar panel efficiency. Furthermore, using a battery storage system will let you use the excess solar energy during the night and on cloudy days.
Understanding Solar Inverters (JIO Sparq Microinverters Supplied by Wattsun Energy)
Solar inverters use electronic circuits and power transistors to convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
• The electricity generated by solar panels would be unusable for most applications without solar inverters.
• Inverters are also crucial for integrating solar power into the electrical grid.
• Solar inverters often include features like Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to optimize the power output from the solar panels, ensuring they operate efficiently under varying conditions.
• Inverters also provide safety features, such as anti-islanding protection, to prevent the solar system from inadvertently connecting to the grid when it's not in operation.
Additionally, advanced solar inverters like JIO Sparq microinverters supplied by Wattsun Energy offer the following features to enhance system monitoring and efficiency:
• Dual-mode functionality to switch to solar power during grid outages
• 4 panels are connected to 1 inverter.
• The inverter has 4 independent MPPTs for maximum efficiency.
• During power outages, the inverter prevents current from flowing to the grid.
Also read: The Best Solar Installation Company in Kerala: 6000+ Projects
Solar Power Panel Installation: Exploring Different Types of Solar Panels
Monocrystalline
Monocrystalline solar panels used in rooftop solar panel installations are among the most popular panels today. The Czochralski method is used to manufacture these panels. Ingot, or the single silicon crystal made through this process, is then sliced into thin wafers to use in solar modules.
Polycrystalline
Polycrystalline panels are most popular with homeowners who are looking for solar power panel installation within a budget. These panels are also called multi-crystalline panels, as the manufacturing of polycrystalline panels involves multiple crystals as opposed to a single crystal in monocrystalline solar panels.
Thin-film
This type of solar panel has lower efficiency ratings and is widely used in utility or large-scale industrial solar installations. These panels are manufactured by depositing amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or other photovoltaic substances onto a solid surface to produce thin, lightweight sheets that are sometimes also flexible.
Further, we might see the manufacturing of new types of solar panels that are cheap to produce and that can absorb large amounts of light.
Solar Power Panel Installation: Advantages of Rooftop Solar Panels
The advantages of rooftop solar include:
Financial Benefits:
• Reduced energy costs because of limited reliance on traditional grids.
• You can balance the initial investment in solar panels through government incentives and long-term savings on energy costs.
• Rooftop solar power panel installation on a building or house increases property value.
• Net metering lets you feed excess electricity back to the grid to earn credits and save more on energy consumption.
• Government programs and tax credits reduce rooftop solar power panel installation.
• These solar panels have a quick payback within 4 to 5 years
Environmental Benefits:
• Solar energy is clean and renewable, thereby reducing carbon footprint.
• These panels contribute to a more sustainable future.
• Rooftop solar panels reduce the use of fossil fuels, helping their conservation
Other Benefits:
• These solar panels offer a degree of grid independence to households.
• Rooftop solar panels need only occasional cleaning and minimal maintenance.
• These panels have a long lifespan.
• Solar panels are used in different applications, such as powering homes, charging electric vehicles, and heating water.
Solar Power Panel Installation: Government Incentives and Support
The following are some of the current policies, incentives, and subsidies in Kerala to promote solar installations:
PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana:
This scheme was implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under the Government of India to provide free solar electricity to households. It also enables these households to sell excess electricity to electricity distribution companies.
Through this central government scheme, residential customers can avail themselves of a subsidy of up to ?78,000 on rooftop solar systems. You can visit the National Portal for Rooftop Solar to apply online for the subsidy.
Kerala State Electricity Board's (KSEB's) Soura Scheme:
This scheme by KSEB aims to offer a return on investment to the customers and thus encourage the installation of rooftop solar systems. Under the scheme, a customer can avail themselves of subsidies of 40% and 20% on systems up to 3 kWp and 10 kWp, respectively.
Surya Thejus Scheme by the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT)
This is a rooftop solar subsidy program by ANERT in Kerala. It aims to promote grid-connected solar power panel installations by housing societies and domestic consumers.
Also read: Government Initiatives for Renewable Energy in India: Updated List
Closing Thoughts on Solar Power Panel Installation
The benefits of solar power panel installation in summer for Kerala homes also include a reduction in fossil fuel reliance and carbon footprint, and the preservation of the planet for future generations. Thus, going solar this summer will not only address your immediate energy needs but also help you contribute to a sustainable future.
Wattsun Energy India is dedicated to offering tailored solar solutions to our clients to help them optimize their return on investment while transitioning to solar energy. If you are thinking of solar power panel installation, think no further. Call us or write to us at:
• Phone: +91 938 8106 363 (or) +91 894 3345 711
• Email ID: info@wattsun.in
Also read: India Surpasses 100 GW of Solar Power Capacity: Why is it Remarkable?