Kartik Gupta

 Global Solar Photovoltaic Modules A Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Module is a packaged assembly of PV cells that have been wired together to produce high voltage because a single solar cell alone cannot provide a useful output. They are the building block of a solar power generation system as it converts sunlight directly into DC electricity. It is a promising renewable energy technology which helps solve the problem of limited power as produced by solar cells. It constitutes of 36 cell modules, a charge controller, a battery and an inverter. Each module is fully capable of producing 100-365 watts of DC output power under standard conditions. There are two main types of commercially viable PV Modules available in the market, namely: Crystalline Silicon (with an average efficiency of 10-12%) and Amorphous Silicon (with an average efficiency of 6%). PV cells produce clean, untainted energy that has many useful applications like in, Water pumping, Lighting apparatus, Agriculture, Space Ops., Communications. With a long and rising list of applications, it comes as no surprise that the price of solar electricity has fallen low enough all over the world to become cheaper than the fossil fuel-produced electricity. With around 100% year-by-year growth, the PV cell industry holds great potential. The United States already more than 100,000 homes whose primary source of energy are the PV systems. Additional associated benefits like- Easy resale, tax incentives, long life-span and unpolluting, it is only a short time before PVs totally replace other forms of power generations. Mounting Solutions Holding the PV panels and ensuring that they are in place is a huge trouble. Thankfully, Photovoltaic mounting systems take care of this. Available in wide variations, they enable customized retrofitting of solar cell panels on the roofs or within the building structure. Mounting solutions help in panels to be put on any form of roof, asphalt or ceramic, without any constraints. While installing a mounting system, it is to make sure that the surface of the PV panel is perpendicular to the sun rays, which constantly vary, throughout the day and month for the solar cells to be exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight and give their best. While installing a mounting system, also known as module racks, a number of factors have to be kept in mind, like inclination and weather conditions to gain the best possible output. There exist numerous variations of racking systems offered globally, the common ones being: Roof Mounted- It is a good option to consider if your house or organization has a lot of empty roof space. Here, PV panels are mounted on the roof parallel to each other through additional attachments. The roof structure needs to be additionally strengthened to hold the sheer weight of solar panels risk-free. Ground Mounted- When there is an excess of ground available that remains unused, Ground mounted systems is the way to go. People with not enough roof spaces can opt for Ground Mounted Systems as an alternative. They offer more flexibility and portability when it comes to installation and maintenance. A new growing technology is the ‘Solar Trackers’ which trail the sun to enhance the amount of light captured and thereby increase the power production, as high as 40%. They get rid of the disadvantages associated with fixed-tilt mounts. Solar Inverters A PV Inverter is an electric system capable of converting DC output into AC electricity that can be further used by homes, offices or commercial grids. Since the DC voltage cannot be used for running the day-to-day appliances, the need for an inverter for PV modules becomes a must. Depending upon the scale of the PV modules, one or multiple solar inverters can be put into use. Inverters can be categorized into two ways, depending on their connection to the grid: On-Grid Inverters- The converted electricity from such inverters can be either used right away or exported to the electric grid. They are highly efficient and easily installable. Off-grid inverters are further differentiated as String Inverters and Micro-Inverters. While string inverters treat the whole solar array as a single solar panel, the Micro-Inverters needs to be attached to each and every solar panel separately Off-Grid Inverters- Off-grid Inverters are simple-to-use inverters that convert power from a battery bank directly to AC voltage. These inverters are much stronger than the On-grids and can carry the load of multiple energy sources. But such inverters require separate battery chargers and regulators. Solar Inverters in the market now are much more developed than the traditional ones. Besides just conversion of electricity, they offer energy efficiency to cut down the costs and other key attributes like data monitoring. Charge Controllers A solar charge controller deals with the regulation of power that goes into the battery bank from the panels. It ensures that the cycle batteries do not heat up in the middle of the day and that the power doesn't flow in reverse to the panels overnight deplete the batteries. A significant function of a charge controller is to control the voltage and open the circuit to halt the charge when the battery voltage soars to a particular level. This s helpful in cases when the panels end up giving out more voltage than what is actually required. It is advised that if a solar panel puts out more than 2 watts per 50 battery amp-hours, then enlisting a charge controller is recommended. Some controllers in the market have extra capabilities, such as lighting and load control, yet dealing with power is its essential responsibility. Two different technologies, Pulse with Modulation (PWM) and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) can be used in a charge controller. Their performance in a system is very different. An MPPT controller costs more than a PWM controller but can repay the money over-time as savings because of their 94-98% efficiency. Often referred to as a solar regulator, it offers a range of other functions as well, like, Charging of batteries at different stages; Safeguards against reverse current flow; Disconnection on low voltage; Data Logging. Off-Grid and Hybrid Energy Storage Off-grid and hybrid energy storage systems are assuredly more complex than on-grid because, in addition to solar panels, battery storage is also included. In the context of energy storage, following off-grid and hybrid energy storage technologies are used extensively:  Lead-Acid, Lead Batteries are the most commonly used type of battery in the world and have been commercially available since 1890. It is a wholly developed technology with the lowest storage costs as far as energy storage technologies go. The life-cycle is low as compared to others, however. Its energy density is relatively less, which makes it bulky and difficult to handle.  lithium - ion batteries are relatively evolved in portable electronics but less evolved in EVs and stationary off-grid applications segment. They have a relatively high life cycle and high energy densities. Lithium-ion cell properties vary considerably, depending more on the material used for the cathode and the anode.  Redox flow batteries can run on a variety of scales, including both large-scale and off-grid. Their high life cycle makes them promising in terms of long-term applications costs. Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are also available the potential to decouple power and energy capacity, making them particularly versatile in terms of design. However, this technology has not been commercialized to its full extent than its competing technologies. RFBs mass and volume densities hold low for EV applications. When it comes to hybrid systems, they combine the technologies of two different systems, resulting in a system that is both efficient and effective, which also cuts out the disadvantages associated with each of them. For example, consider- hybrid lead-acid/lithium battery system which offers low costs than pure lithium-ion systems but also has a higher life cycle than pure lead-acid systems, leading to a 20% increase in capacity. There is one thing that needs to be kept in mind when engaging with hybrid systems, it’s that such systems are highly complex and sensitive, which makes them less effective for smaller applications at present.