YashYou can save a good amount of money with Solar in Delhi.
New Delhi is the capital of India.
It is an international place with facilities and amenities.
And
The energy demand is always on the top.
And
One can meet the energy demands by switching to solar.
Why choose Solar?
Solar electricity offers many benefits to the user. Let me highlight the significant ones.
i) Solar is Affordable
The electrical appliances in our houses and offices run on grid electricity if we see the price trend of the residential electricity prices in India.
It is rising at the rate of 8% per year.
In Delhi, you are not billed, if the monthly electricity consumption is below 200 units.
However, this subsidized facility is accessible to those who apply for it.
The electricity rates are as follows:
When I look at the present energy demand and the limited availability of the fossil fuels such as coal.
(Over 70% of India’s electricity is produced by burning coal.
And it is a non-renewable source of energy).
I feel a need for reliable and clean energy sources.
Also, in the past decade, grid prices are rising by 8% per year.
This means the grid electricity prices are bound to increase further.
The country average is Rs. 6.6 per unit @ 8% per year.
Falling solar prices
While on the other hand, solar panel prices have declined near to 90% in the previous decade.
Thanks to our engineers and the scientists, who are trying continuously to improve the technology.
“The evolution in solar PV technology such as Half-cut solar cell technology, Mono-PERC technology, Bi-facial solar panels and more have reduced the losses in the modules”
Solar Technology
Now we see more highly efficient solar panels than ever before.
The solar power system is affordable and financially attractive.
ii) Solar Energy is Clean and Renewable
By using solar you are mitigating climate change. When we burn fossil fuels such as coal, petrol, and diesel, they release carbon emissions into the air.
And these carbon emissions are responsible for climate change.
And we see harsh consequences such as droughts, floods, melting of glaciers, and migration of humans, animals, and birds.
When 1 kg of coal is burned around 2.4 kg of carbon emissions are released into the air.
One can switch to solar and help in mitigating climate change.
“A 5-kW solar power system in India can mitigate over 7 tonnes of carbon emissions in 1 year”.
Solar helps in preserving the environment
Also, solar energy is available to all of us free of cost.
And harnessing it through solar PV technology makes us energy-independent.
Peak Sun Hours in Delhi
The daily average Peak Sun Hours in Delhi are 5.35.
1 Peak Sun Hour (1 PSH) = 1000 W/m² of sunlight intensity.
More PSH means that you can meet your energy needs with fewer solar panels.
You can see that March, April (Highest PSH), and May are the months with the highest values of PSH.
While on another hand, December and January are the months with the lowest value of PSH.
When we take the average of all 12 months of the year, the average is 5.35.
And the PSH value over 5 is considered good.
Therefore, Delhi is a favorable solar destination.
Climate of Delhi
Our India lies in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth.
The coordinates of Delhi are 28.61ᴼ North and 77.20ᴼ East.
(Near to 3 degrees above the Tropic of Cancer line).
We see 5 main seasons in Delhi namely:
- Summers: April, May, and June (Hot and good sunlight intensity)
- Monsoon: July, August, and mid-September (Hot and humid)
- Autumn: September-end, October, and November (Pleasant and fairly good sunlight)
- Winters: December to January (very cold and low sunlight)
- Spring (February to March) (pleasant and good sunlight).
In summer, the day temperature goes above 40ᴼ C while in winter, the mercury drops to around 5ᴼ C.
Best Solar panels for Delhi
The choice of solar panels should be based on the location and the climate of the region.
Delhi has an extreme type of climate where we experience hot summers and cold winters.
Therefore, solar panels should be efficient enough to perform under these extremes.
Low-Temperature Coefficient of Power
The power output of the solar panel decreases when its cell temperature increases above 25 degrees.
An ambient temperature of 40ᴼ C in the summer of May means that the solar cells might be performing around 70 ᴼ C.
There will be a major loss in power if the solar panel is not efficient.
The efficiency of performing under high temperatures is measured through the metrics called the temperature coefficient of power.
Temperature Coefficient of Power
It is measured in %/ᴼ C and it is written as negative.
For example, a solar panel with a Temperature coefficient of power -0.40 %/ᴼ C means it will start losing 0.4% of its Pmax with every increase in its cell temperature beyond 25 ᴼ C.
The formula is:
Power loss (%) = (Cell temperature – 25 ᴼ C) x Temperature coefficient of power
When the cell temperature is 70 ᴼ C, the power loss would be:
= (70 ᴼ C – 25 ᴼ C) x -0.4 %/ᴼ C
= -18%
The power loss would be 18% (the negative sign indicates the power loss).
Similarly, If the temperature coefficient of the power of another solar panel is -0.30 %. The power loss (keeping other conditions the same) would be 13.5%.
Therefore, for Delhi’s hot climate, solar panels with lower temperature coefficients of power are preferred.
Read: Best Solar Panels for Hot Climate
Corrosion Resistant
We also see a wet and humid climate in Monsoon.
The water in the air blocks the sunlight.
Hence less sunlight is available to the solar panels for making the photoelectric effect.
Also, the moisture-filled air has the tendency to corrode the material in contact with it.
Therefore, your solar panels must be efficient enough to produce a good current in this situation.
Also, the panels must be corrosion-resistant.
Highly Efficient
Delhi has a high population density. In solar terminology, its implicit less roof space for the solar panels.
Therefore, solar panels must produce more power in less space so that one can fulfill the energy demands.
And highly efficient solar panels do that.
Also, long product and performance warranties are preferred.
Finally, we can say the best solar panels for Delhi:·
- Highly efficient
- Low-temperature coefficient of power
- Corrosion resistant (IEC 61701)
- Long warranties
Direction and Tilt of solar panels in Delhi
Delhi lies in the Northern Hemisphere of the earth.
Therefore, someone installing solar panels in Delhi should face them in the South direction.
The latitude of Delhi is 28.61ᴼ North. This will help us in finding the fixed tilt for the solar panels.
The best fixed-stilt for solar panels in Delhi is 24.32ᴼ.
Units produced by 5-kW solar
The power produced by solar panels depends on many factors.
The major ones are:
i) Sunlight Intensity
Good sunlight will make your solar panels produce more power than the ones placed in low-sunlight areas.
ii) The technology of Solar Panels
The technologically better solar panels have fewer losses and hence produce more power.
iii) Losses in the solar power system
A complete solar power system, in addition to solar panels, consists of components such as an inverter, battery, charge controller, and wires.
The system has many losses such as:
- Shading loss
- Dirt loss
- Conversion loss
- Transfer loss
- Aging loss and other losses.
All these losses can eat up to 30% of the power produced by solar panels.
That is a good amount of loss.
Still, solar power is technically feasible and financially attractive.
A 5-kW solar power system after covering all the above-mentioned losses produce near to 20 units in a day in Delhi.
Units Produced by Solar
Cost of 5-kW Solar in Delhi
The cost of the complete system varies according to the type and technology of the equipment used in the system.
The highly efficient Mono-PERC solar panels cost more than the multi-crystalline solar panels.
Similar is the case with other components in the system.
However, we have the average of the best and most reliable solar power systems in the market.
We have two main types of solar power systems.
One is Grid-tied and another is an Off-grid solar power system.
A 5-kW Grid-tied solar power system costs around Rs. 3,10,000. While An Off grid solar power system with 2 days battery backup costs near to Rs. 4,75,000.
The off-grid costs you more because batteries are attached to the system.
Money saved by Solar in Delhi
You start saving money once your investment covers the initial cost.
Payback is the time the solar power system takes to return your invested money.
The payback of any solar power system depends on many factors.
These are:
- Sunlight
- The efficiency of the system
- Cost of the system and its maintenance
- Grid price and its escalation and other factors.
(I have taken the average domestic electricity price in Delhi which consume around 600 units per month as Rs. 7 per unit.
I am assuming you are not availing of 200 units free subsidy).
A 5-kW Grid-tied solar power system has a payback of 8 years.
IRR is 18%.
The per unit cost of solar electricity is Rs. 2.71.
And
the money saved in 25 years would be Rs. 21,89,637
and the Net Present Value of these savings (when we discount it at 7%) is Rs. 5,93,977.
Money saved with 5-kW Off-Grid System
While on another hand, a 5-kW solar power system with 2 days of battery backup pays you back in 13 years with an internal rate of return of over 10%
The cost of solar electricity is Rs. 4.84 per unit.
I assume the system’s life is 25 years.
The net future savings would be near Rs. 15,00,000.
And
When I discount this cumulative future saving to the present value.
(I am assuming 7% as the discount rate).
It comes out to be Rs. 2,15,559.
Conclusion
- In the last, I can say solar in Delhi can save you a very good amount of money.
(I have discussed the financial feasibility of residential solar power systems in Delhi. Commercial solar is also very attractive as the electricity rates are high compared to the domestic rates).
- The ideal solar panels for Delhi are highly efficient, low-temperature coefficient of power, and corrosion resistant with long warranties.
- The facing of the solar panels is the southward direction with the best-fixed tilt of 24.32ᴼ
- A 5-kW grid-tied solar power system costs you Rs. 3,10,,000 whereas an Off-grid system with similar capacity and 2 days battery backup is priced at Rs. 4,75,000.
- The average payback of a 5-kW grid-tied system is 8 years and 13 years for an Off-grid system with 2 days of battery backup.
