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5thingstoconsiderbeforeyouplanforarooftopPVplant
Apr13,2012

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ThearticletakesalookatthebasicfactorstobeconsideredtoselftestthefeasibilityofarooftopsolarPVsystem,beforecallingtheexpertsforthedetailedsitesurvey.

Withfallingpricesofsolarphotovoltaicmodulesandincreasingpricesofdiesel,theelectricityfromasolarplantisalmostatparwithdiesel
generatedpower.AlmosteverymanufacturingunitinIndiahassetupdieselgeneratorpowerplantasabackupfortheirpowerrequirements
duringpoweroutages.Typically,suchcompanieshavehugerooftopareawhichreceivesunobstructedsunlightthroughouttheday,thus
providingagoodopportunitytosetuparooftopPVsystem.
ThereareplentyofcompaniesacrossIndiawhichprovideservicestocheckfeasibilityforinstallationofarooftopsolarPVsystem.These
companiesperformadetailedsitesurveyandestimatethesizeandpowergenerationcapacityofthePVsystem.Beforegoingforadetailed
sitesurvey,ifaclientwantstoperformaquickfeasibilitycheck,heorsheshouldconsiderthefollowingparameters:

1.Shadowtest:Tocollectmaximumsunlightduringtheday,thesolarPVpanelshouldfaceasmuchsouthaspossible.Therooftopmustbe
checkedfortheshadowsoftreesoradjoiningbuildsetc.,particularlyfromsouthdirection.Aclearrooftopwithoutanyshadowfromallaround
isanidealcaseforsolarPVinstallations.Incasethereisshadowonrooftop,adetailedanalysisoftimeanddirectionofsunlightneedstobe
performedbyanexperttoestimatetheenergyreceivedbyrooftop.
2. Rooftoptype:Theloadcarryingcapacityoftheroofshouldbechecked.Thesolarpanelswithstructuretypicallyweigh15KgperSq.meter.Thisweightvarieswithtechnologyand
typeofstructure.
3. Sizingofsolarsystem:Sizeofsolarsystemdependsontherooftopareaavailableforpanels.Thiscanbecalculatedbydividingtheavailableareabyeachpanelareaand
multiplyingitbypanelsratedoutput.Forestimatepurpose,70%ofrooftopareacanbeusedforpanelsinstallation.Certainsolarpanelsinmarketcanuseashighas90%ofrooftop
area,buthavemuchhighercost.Asathumbrule,10Sqmeterareaisrequiredfor1Kwcapacitysolarsystem.
Sizeofsolarsystem=Panelsratedoutput*(Rooftoparea/Eachpanelarea)*70%
4. Systemoutput(annualunitsgenerated):Theoutputperpanelandhencesystemoutputdependsonpanelefficiencyandthesolarradiationatthesite.Thesetwofactorsdefine
CUF(CapacityUtilityFactor)forsolarsystemforaparticularlocation.ForIndiatypically19%CUFistakenforestimation.Theannualnumberofunitsgeneratedbysolarsystemcanbe
calculatedas:

UnitsGeneratedAnnually(inKwh)=SystemSizeinKw*CUF*365*24
Asathumbrule,1Kwcapacitysolarsystemgenerates16001700Kwhofelectricityperyear.TheCUFvarieswiththegeographicallocationoftheinstallationsite.Followingtable
summarizesindicativeCUFsatdifferentcitiesinIndia.
5.Pricingofsolarsystem:AtypicalrooftopsolarsystemwithoutbatteryandwithoutgridconnectioncostsRs.125perWp.Asystemwithbatterywith5hrsbackuptypicallycostsRs.200
perWp.Theseratesareforsmallersystemsupto250Kwcapacity.Forlargersystems,priceperWpreducesandistypicallyintherangeofRs.100perWpforMWsizesystems.In
additiontotheabovedecisioncriteria,itmaybeworthwhilefortheprospectiveprojectdevelopertoweighinonthefinancialincentivesintheirbusinesscases.Aquickoverviewofthe
financialincentivesavailableforthesolarprojectsispresentedbelow.

FinancialincentivesfromMNRE

CapSubsidy:MNREprovides30%capitalsubsidyoncapitalexpenditureforrooftopsolarPVsystem.Forcommercialandnoncommercialentitiesingridconnectedarea,subsidycan
begrantedtoplantsizeupto100Kw.Howeverentitiessettingupsolarplantforruralelectrificationcanclaimsubsidyforupto250Kwplantsize.
InterestSubsidy:Thegovernmentprovidessoftloansat5%perannumon50%ofcapexamountfor5yearstenureforsolarprojectsbybothcommercialandnoncommercialentities.
Commercialentitiescanclaimeitherofcapitalorinterestsubsidies.Butanoncommercialentitycanclaimbothsubsidiessimultaneously.
Accelerateddepreciation:Forsolarsystem,acompanycanclaim80%depreciationinthefirstyearitselfleadingtosavingsonincometaxonoverallprofit.Thisbenefitcanbeclaimed
bybothcommercialandnoncommercialentities.Processofclaimingfinancialincentives:ThefinancialincentivesmentionedabovecanbeavailedbywritinganapplicationtoMNREin
theprescribedapplicationformforprojectapproval.Acommercialentityhastoindicateitspreferenceforcapitalorinterestsubsidy.Onceapproved,incaseofinterestsubsidy,theMNRE
forwardstheapplicationtoacommercialbankforthesoftloan.Incaseofcapitalsubsidyoption,MNREprovidessubsidymoneyin3trenches:startofproject,midwaythroughtheproject
andafterasuccessfulinspectionpostcompletionoftheproject.

Othersourcesoffinance:ApartfromincentivesfromMNRE,anentitycanavailofcommercialloansfromorganizationssuchasSIDBIat15%interestratetypicallyfortermsof7yearswith
1yearmoratoriumperiod.Therearenospecialloansfromcommercialbanksforsolarsystems.
Image(s)Courtesy
OiMax(http://www.flickr.com/photos/oimax/114087958/sizes/s/in/photostream/)
ArlingtonCouty(http://www.flickr.com/photos/arlingtonva/6284322756/sizes/o/in/photostream/)
jonsmith(http://www.flickr.com/photos/unanoslucror/4798661931/sizes/s/in/photostream/)

Author:NavdeepGupta

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1/6/2017 5thingstoconsiderbeforeyouplanforarooftopPVplant|sustainabilityoutlook.in

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