The 3 Best Types of Solar Power System

As the name suggests, it is on-grid or grid tied so the grid type system works when the power supply is coming when the power supply gets off the system stops working if we talk about an off-grid system this system works with the battery back, in this system, the battery is being charged by the solar panel and the load is run with the battery backup this is also called a standalone system, the third one is a hybrid system means this will work as a grid-tie system and this will work with the grid and with the battery, when the power supply is on and off-grid while working stand alone with the battery back but in this hybrid system it will work as a grid means the load will run directly with the solar panel either power supply is coming or not coming it will work because battery backup is also connected.

The Three main types of solar power systems are:

1. On-grid – It is also known as a grid-tie solar system

2. Off-grid – It Is also known as a stand-alone solar power system

3. Hybrid – Solar system with battery storage with the grid-connection

Grid-Tie Solar Power Systems

The grid tie or on-grid system is the very most effective and cheapest in the solar power system because if you’re talking about the cost the battery is not available with this system this will work without battery, so the cost will reduce now come to the name grid-tied means the solar system is connected with the grid the power, which is coming from the discom to our home that is called the grid tide so when we install the on-grid system system there should be power supply coming, when did power supply will come from the grid and it will be connected with our solar inverter so the power supply which is coming from grid and the solar energy generation of our solar system power get synchronized then the system will give the output power so this system will working.

This system is basically used for commercial and industrial purposes. The commercial uses include shops, schools, and colleges, which are generally operated during the daytime when sunlight is available, enabling us to maximize energy usage. The grid tie system has the advantage of exporting power back to the grid with the help of net metering, which records the energy import and export. Any extra energy generated by our solar system is directly exported to the grid, providing us with benefits. The grid tie system has various benefits. For example, if we have a 10 kilowatt demand at home and install a 10 kilowatt grid tie solar power system, our home can generate 10 kilowatts of energy using solar power. If our home only needs 5 kilowatts, then extra 5 kilowatts will be exported back to the grid, benefiting us at the end of the month. Another example would be if our load is 15 kilowatts, where 10 kilowatts will be generated by the solar power system and 5 kilowatts will be taken from the grid, managing the energy generation accordingly.

In the grid-type system, there are two models offered by the company: CapEx and Resco. In the CapEx model, the client has to pay the full amount to install the solar power system in their house or field, like a solar park. In this model, the client solely invests while the company installs the entire system. Therefore, the ownership lies with the client, who can sell the electricity if they install the solar park. Contrastingly, in the Resco model, the company install the solar power plant in the client’s premises or field. The company will then provide the electricity to the client under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This means that the client does not have to make the initial investment and can instead purchase the electricity from the company. This system typically works with solar parks where Mega Watt (MW) plants are installed and the electricity is sold to governments, industries, colleges, and schools under certain PPA agreements.

Advantages of Grid-Tie Solar Power Systems

Save Electricity Bill
Return of investment in 4-5 year
Solar Panel have warranty of 25 years
Have less maintenance
Take less space ( No Battery Backup)
Extent the Solar Panel in Future

Disadvantages of Grid-Tie Solar Power Systems

It will work when power supply is coming from Grid
Work till sunlight available
No Power storage available
It will not work at Night

We can see in the image the whole system is being monitored in screen, this is possible with the help on PLC and SCADA system

Off-Grid Solar Power Systems

The term “off-grid system” refers to a solar power system that is not connected to the main power grid. This system operates independently and uses a battery backup to store energy. It is designed for locations where grid supply is not available. The size of the battery and solar panels, as well as the solar inverter, this is determined based on the specific power needs. Solar street lights are an example of standalone systems, where solar panels charge the battery during the day to power the light at night. Different types of batteries, such as lithium-ion and lithium ferro phosphate, are used in off-grid and street light applications to minimize maintenance. The choice of battery depends on factors like temperature, density, and user requirements, and varies in price range.

Advantages of Off-Grid Solar Power Systems

This is independent to grid
Energy is stored in Battery
Can be installed at Remote location
Small Home Light can work on village for lighting
Solar Street light is Stand alone system

Disadvantages of Off-Grid Solar Power Systems

Initial cost is High
Have to do maintenance of Battery
Transportation issue to Hilly region or village

Hybrid Solar Power Systems

The hybrid system combines both the grid-tie system and the off-grid system. One of the main advantages of the hybrid system is the use of battery backup along with the grid. In a traditional grid-tie system, power generation stops when the grid power is disconnected. However, in a hybrid system, with the presence of battery backup, power generation continues even when the grid is down. This solves the issue of power generation being disconnected when the grid is down and provides backup during power cuts, load shedding, or at night. From a financial and load requirement perspective, it’s beneficial. For example, if a 10-kilowatt hybrid solar power plant is installed and the load requirement is also 10 kilowatts, it will be met during the daytime. If the load increases to 15 kilowatts, the solar panels cover 10 kilowatts and the remaining 5 kilowatts are covered by the battery backup. The system has the capability to export power to the grid and adapts its power source based on set preferences, giving priority to solar panels, then the battery, and finally the grid. If the load requirement increases to 25 kilowatts, the system will utilize power from the solar panel, then the battery, and if the battery discharges, it will resort to the grid. This flexible system effectively solves the disadvantages associated with traditional power systems of Grid-tied and Off-Grid.