Category: Blog

Rice is a staple food for billions of people worldwide, and its cultivation and processing require  significant amounts of energy. Traditional rice mills often rely on fossil fuels or conventional  grid electricity, which can be expensive and harmful to the environment. However, there’s a  sustainable alternative that’s gaining momentum: solar power. In this article, we’ll explore the  numerous benefits of solar power plants for rice mills. 

1. Cost Savings: 

One of the most significant advantages of solar power for rice mills is cost savings. Operating a  rice mill is energy-intensive, with electricity being a major expense. By harnessing solar energy,  rice mill owners can significantly reduce their electricity bills or eliminate them altogether. This  translates into increased profitability and financial stability for the business. 

2.  Energy Independence: 

Solar power provides rice mill owners with a degree of energy independence. It reduces  reliance on external energy providers and insulates them from fluctuating energy prices. This  stability is especially crucial for rice mills in regions where power supply can be unreliable. 

3. Low Operating Costs: 

Solar power plants have relatively low operating and maintenance costs compared to  traditional power sources. Routine maintenance of solar panels is minimal, and they have a  long lifespan, often exceeding 25 years. This means that once the initial investment is made,  the ongoing costs are minimal, contributing to long-term savings. 

4. Environmental Benefits: 

Rice mills powered by solar energy significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Traditional  energy sources like coal or diesel generators emit greenhouse gases and contribute to air  pollution. In contrast, solar power is clean, renewable, and emission-free, making it an eco friendly choice for rice mill operations. 

5. Government Incentives: 

Many governments offer tax benefits to encourage the adoption of solar power. Rice mill  owners may benefit from these programs, further enhancing the financial feasibility of installing  solar power plants. 

6. Sustainable Branding: 

Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of the products they  purchase. Rice mills powered by solar energy can use their green credentials as a marketing 

advantage, appealing to eco-conscious consumers and potentially commanding premium prices  for their products. 

7. Long-Term Investment: 

Installing a solar power plant is a long-term investment that can increase the overall value of a  rice mill. It not only enhances the mill’s operational efficiency but also adds to its sustainability  and resilience in the face of energy price volatility. 

8. Community Benefits: 

Beyond the benefits to the rice mill itself, solar power plants can bring positive changes to the  local community. They create job opportunities during the installation and maintenance  phases, contribute to cleaner air and water, and can serve as educational tools for sustainable  energy practices. 

In conclusion, solar power plants offer a myriad of benefits for rice mills, ranging from cost  savings and environmental sustainability to improved rice quality and community development.  As the world seeks cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, the integration of solar  power into rice milling operations not only makes economic sense but also aligns with global  efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable agriculture. Embracing solar power  is not just an investment in the future of rice milling but also in the future of our planet.

India, a land of diverse cultures, languages, and landscapes, is also one of the sunniest countries on the planet. This abundant sunshine is now being harnessed for a brighter and more sustainable future through solar energy. In this article, we’ll explore the vast scope of solar energy in India, examining its potential to reshape the nation’s energy landscape, foster economic growth, and mitigate environmental challenges.
1. India’s Energy Needs:
India’s economy is on a rapid growth trajectory, and with it comes an escalating demand for energy. To fuel industries, power homes, and support transportation, the nation requires an increasingly larger and more reliable energy supply. Solar energy, with its scalability and renewable nature, can play a pivotal role in meeting these growing energy needs.
2. Solar Resource Abundance:
India is endowed with an abundant solar resource, receiving sunlight for an average of 300 sunny days annually. This solar potential, particularly in states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, positions India as an ideal candidate for solar power generation.
3. Energy Access for All:
Solar energy holds immense promise in bridging the energy access gap in India. Millions of Indians still lack access to reliable electricity. Distributed solar power systems can bring electricity to remote and off-grid regions, empowering communities, and enhancing the quality of life.
4. Renewable Energy Targets:
The Indian government has set ambitious renewable energy targets to combat climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase energy security. Solar energy, being a cornerstone of these targets, has been allocated a substantial share in the nation’s renewable energy mix.
5. Job Creation:
The solar industry is a significant driver of employment in India. From manufacturing solar panels and components to installing and maintaining solar systems, it offers a wide range of job opportunities. As the industry continues to grow, it will contribute further to India’s economic development.
6. Grid Integration:
The integration of solar energy into India’s power grid is progressing steadily. Advanced grid management technologies and the development of smart grids enable efficient power distribution and minimize grid instability concerns, ensuring a reliable energy supply.
7. Rooftop Solar Potential:
India’s urban areas, with their vast rooftops, hold immense potential for rooftop solar installations. The residential, commercial, and industrial sectors can benefit from on-site solar power generation, reducing electricity bills and promoting sustainability.
8. Rural Electrification:
Solar mini-grids and off-grid solutions are playing a pivotal role in rural electrification. These systems provide power to villages and remote communities, enabling them to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
9. Solar Water Pumping:
Agriculture, a crucial sector in India, consumes a significant portion of the country’s energy resources. Solar water pumping systems are revolutionizing agriculture by providing clean and affordable energy for irrigation, reducing the burden on the power grid and fossil fuels.
10. Solar in Transport:
Solar energy is not confined to electricity generation alone. It’s also making inroads into the transportation sector. Solar-powered electric rickshaws and buses are reducing pollution in congested cities, contributing to cleaner air and sustainable urban mobility.
11. Energy Storage:
Energy storage solutions, such as batteries, are becoming integral to the solar energy landscape. They ensure a continuous power supply even when the sun isn’t shining, making solar energy more reliable and versatile.
12. Global Collaboration:
India is actively collaborating with international organisations and nations to advance its solar energy agenda. Partnerships for research, technology transfer, and funding are accelerating the deployment of solar projects.
13. Environmental Benefits:
Solar energy is environmentally friendly, producing no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants. It aids in reducing India’s reliance on fossil fuels, addressing air pollution, and combating climate change.
14. Challenges and Solutions:
While the scope of solar energy in India is immense, challenges like land acquisition, intermittency, and policy and regulatory issues exist. However, innovative solutions, like floating solar farms, improved battery technology, and supportive government policies, are addressing these challenges.
In conclusion, the scope of solar energy in India is vast and multifaceted. It is not merely a technology or an industry; it is a transformative force that can reshape India’s energy landscape, drive economic growth, enhance energy security, and mitigate environmental challenges. As India strives to meet its growing energy needs while maintaining a sustainable and clean environment, solar energy stands as a beacon of hope and progress on the path to a brighter and greener future. With continued investments, innovations, and policy support, solar energy in India will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in achieving these aspirations.

So, you have just decided to go green with Solar energy for your share of environment care. And solar rooftops system was your obvious choice, be it a residential or a commercial building. You are all decked up to call an expert on the solar rooftop system.

But pause for a few minutes and bear with me to understand that even if it’s your known dealer, a few things will always be kept undisclosed because of many Terms and Conditions that companies apply. Before diving, let us first understand the scenarios and the models available in the market.

The first model is an ON-grid system in which the rooftop solar systems is connected to the grid. An inverter is present to convert DC power (generated by Solar panels) to AC power to power the loads (AC/fridge/fan etc).

The first model is an: On-grid system. It has 5 scenarios.

1. Solar Generated = Required Load

(Solar power runs the loads completely. Although the Grid is available and the power from solar is sufficient).

2. Solar Generated > Required Load

(Solar power will support the existing loads first, and then export the excess power to the grid)

3. Solar Generated < Required Load

(Herein, load completely consumes the solar power. The rest of the power required by the load is compensated by the Grid)

4. Solar Generated = O

(At night-time, no generation of solar power. Herein, the load imports the power from the grid.)

5. No Grid is available.

(During a power cut, the solar inverter shuts down to keep the people fixing the grid safe).

The second model is an Off-Grid. This model replaces the grid in its entirety. Rather a battery is used which acts as a bank to store the excess power generated during the daytime. During less generation or no generation of solar power, in place of the grid, the battery sends its power to the loads.

The third model is a Hybrid system wherein, both On-grid and Off-grid systems work in tandem. This model is advantageous in two ways: one, you do not need the grid. And two, when the battery becomes full, the excess power is sent to the grid.

Now the real deals are:

1. The Tale of Two Metering 

In 1st and 3rd variants where the use of a grid is present, the possibility to generate revenue from the excess power is the exact area to focus on. Usually, the customers or the users give in to the temptation of getting paid by the power companies, once the users start generating excess power. Well, it just happens that nothing can be further from the truth. Let us see how.

There are Gross Metering Systems and Net Metering systems. The GMS system provides a pre-determined “Feed-in-tariff‘ for the power generated through solar. The generated solar power is completely exported in the grid. From the grid, the household loads are operated.

Unless you get a competitive ‘Fee-in-tariff’, better to opt for the Net Metering. Net metering, on the other hand, is what you use. Meaning that the solar power generated is first supplied to a home or business electricity needs. The power left after load consumption is exported to the grid and electricity retailers then pay you.

2. Reducing Efficacy

In general, all the companies try to convince customers and users that solar panels do not need much maintenance. This is true marginally. Weather conditions reduce the efficacy of panels each year by 1 percent. By the end of the 15-20 years, a significant reduction occurs in the panel’s efficiency.

Maintaining the panels in harsh weather is good for health maintenance. Talking to the dealers and experts to manage the efficiency of equipment over a period of time can be a good decision.

3. The Dilemma of Leasing

Lastly, due to the high rewards of exporting power to DISCOMs, the system of leasing roofs are catching up. But be aware that it has its consequences too.

Roof lease can hurt the valuation of your property. Installing a solar system in either residential or commercial places is a long-term (usually 20-30 years) investment and responsibility. It is crucial to consider your living tenure. If not, buyers of such properties usually shy away and you can lose your real value of the property.

People are usually duped into solar leases, by costly installations to several lease terms. Leasing is a cheaper option with little or no money to buy, but when you lease, the company in the contract which owns the system might take away the system once your lease term ends.

Make sure, you weigh the terms and cost between the total lifecycle cost of the lease and the benefits you would reap from ownership.

Related Read: How to Choose the Best Solar PV Installer

Opting for sustainable resources is indeed a great choice. And we appreciate those who have adopted these resources or are thinking to adopt one.

While these resources have no such limitations whatsoever, the only time when you might face a mild issue is- during its solar power output.

Since you are doing a great job already, let us help you understand the seven factors that reduce your solar power output.

1. The sun’s angle:

Your solar system cannot perform well without the power of the sun. One of the prerequisites is to have sunshine; if not in abundance then at least considerably good. In situations when the sun is low in the sky, your system will automatically produce less power.

2. Solar panel’s orientation:

Believe it or not, but the orientation of solar panels has a great impact on the sides they face. Roof orientation facing east or west will always generate less power compared to the ones that face north and south.

The logic is simple- if there is less sunlight reaching the panels then drop in power output will get affected.

3. Clouds & haze:

It is not like the solar panels do not work on cloudy days. They work like they normally do; however, they do not perform well as they would do on a bright sunny day. It is estimated that solar panels generate about 10 – 25% of their normal power output on a cloudy day.

4. High temperature & heat:

It may come as a shock to you when you discover that ‘the stronger the sun is, the less energy the solar panels produce.’ Well, it is said that at a certain point, the excessive temperature can cause a reduction in the energy output from the installed solar panels.

The solar panels are tested at 25°C under the Standard Test Condition therefore when the temperature goes high, the output gets affected directly.

The amount of energy produced by a solar panel is calculated by multiplying the current and the voltage.

5. Wind & humidity:

The sunshine heats the panels, but a breeze helps the panel to cool down, thus impacting its efficiency. In the case of humidity, there are high chances of tiny water droplets/water vapor to get collected on solar panels.

These droplets reflect/refract sunlight away from the solar cells, ultimately reducing the amount of sunlight hitting them.

6. Shading, dirt & bird dropping:

Most of the solar photovoltaic panels consist of several cells that are wired together into a series. When a small part of the panel comes under the shade, the performance of the solar panel significantly reduces.

A similar obstruction occurs when dirt, bird droppings, or leaves partially forms shading over the panel.

7. Microfracture in panels or fault in inverters:

Contradicting the natural factors; the system problems can also affect the overall efficiency of the system. Microfractures aka microcracks are small cracks that appear in solar cells.

On the other hand, the problem related to the inverter can arise when the inverters are installed incorrectly or due to their incorrect programming. This happens rarely though!

Moreover, the inverters come with a warranty of 5 to 10-year so, if there is a problem related to the inverter, then you can get them fixed under free warranty service.

Related Read:   5 Maintenance Tips for Your Solar Panels