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Rajasthan receives one of the country’s highest solar energy radiations and has the clearest sunny days in a year. Thus, making it an ideal place for solar PV.
It is the largest Indian state which is a landlocked state is surrounded by that is surrounded by:
- Punjab in North
- Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in North-east
- In the southeast, we have Madhya Pradesh
- We see Gujarat in the south-west of Rajasthan
- In the west, Rajasthan is surrounded by Sind and Punjab in Pakistan.
The other geographical and statistical facts are:
- Location: coordinates 26.57° N and 73.83° East
- Area: 3,42,239 km²
- Population: 8.13 crores as on July 1, 2023
Districts:
There are 50 districts in Rajasthan.
- Anupgarh
- Ajmer
- Alwar
- Balotra
- Banswara
- Baran
- Barmer
- Beawar
- Bharatpur
- Bhilwara
- Bundi
- Chittorgarh
- Churu
- Dausa
- Dholpur (3,084 km² smallest district)
- Dungarpur
- Hanumangarh
- Jaisalmer (38,401 km² largest district)
- Jalore
- Jhalawar
- Jhunjhunu
- Karauli
- Kota
- Nagaur
- Pali
- Pratapgarh
- Rajsamand
- Sawai Madhopur
- Sikar
- Sirohi
- Sri Ganganagar
- Tonk
- Udaipur
- Dudu
- Deeg
- Didwana Kuchaman
- Gangapur
- Jaipur Rural
- Jodhpur Rural
- Kekri
- Khairthal Tijara
- Kotputli Behror
- Neem ka Thana
- Phalodi
- Sanchore
- Salumbar
- Shahpura
- Jaipur Urban
- Jodhpur Urban
Sunlight in Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a sun-rich state with an average solar insolation of over 6 kWh/m²/day.
The maximum sunlight intensity is in April (7.26) and the minimum is 5.2 (December).
This solar energy can be harnessed and converted into solar electricity. In short, solar is very attractive in this state.
Fact: Rajasthan has the world’s largest solar park in Bhadla of Jodhpur district. It is spread over 56 km² (close to 14,000 acres) with an operational capacity of 2245 MW.
The state’s residents can utilize this abundant solar energy by installing solar panels on their rooftops.
Units produced by 5 kW solar in Rajasthan
The energy produced by the system depends on many factors. Let me highlight a few important ones:
- The quality of the solar panels
- Sunlight intensity in the place where they are installed
- Right facing and the proper tilt of the solar panels with the ground
- Maintenance of the solar panels by the user
- Temperature and the climate of the place
Keeping the above factors in mind, a 5-kW solar power system in Rajasthan produces an average of 22 units in a day.
*1 unit = 1 kWh of energy
Or
650 units in a month
And
194845 units in 25 years
Money saved by Solar in Rajasthan
A 5-kW solar in Rajasthan saves you an average of 660 monthly units. The same units consumed from the grid cost you an average of Rs. 7 per unit, making it a total of 660 units x 7 = Rs. 4620.
Therefore, taking energy from solar can save you an average of Rs. 4,620 per month.
Or
Rs. 4620 x 12 months = Rs. 55,440 in a year.
Cost of solar in Rajasthan
The cost of a solar power system depends on many factors such as:
a) Quality and the technology of the solar panels and the other components used in the system.
b) Type of roof (inclined roof tend to have higher installation charges than the solar panels installed in the flat roof).
c) Transportation cost
d) Sunlight intensity. A good sunlight region can cover your energy needs with fewer solar panels than the ones installed in the poor sunlight region.
Taking into consideration the above factors, the average price of 5-kW grid-tied solar is Rs. 3,00,000 (without subsidy).
Solar Payback in Rajasthan
The payback period is the time in which your investment amount is recovered. The payback period depends on the sunlight intensity and the grid price.
In short, more sunlight intensity and higher grid price mean more savings on going solar.
Payback Period (Years) = System price/Annual savings
The annual savings would be = Rs. 4,620 x 12 months = 55,440
Payback Period (without subsidy) = Rs. 3,00,000/Rs. 55,440 = 5.4 years
Wait!
There is a government subsidy on the grid-tied solar power systems.
For 5 kW it is Rs. 69,900/- for the grid-tied solar power systems.
It can be calculated as follows:
For the first 3 kW, it is Rs. 52,200, and the remaining 2 kW is it is Rs. 8,700 per kW
Total = Rs. 52,200 + Rs. 17,400
= Rs. 69,600
Payback Period (After subsidy) = {Price of the system – subsidy}/Annual savings
= (Rs. 3,00,000 – Rs. 69,900)/Rs. 55,440
= 4.15 years
A 23% reduction in the payback period.
Great!
Best solar panels for Rajasthan
Before finding the best solar panels for Rajasthan, first, it is important to understand its climate.
Rajasthan has a semi-arid to arid climate type with hot temperatures throughout the year.
Rajasthan has an extreme temperature range.
In summer, it can reach up to 45 degrees while in winter, the mercury plunges to 2 degrees.
Also, there is a wide temperature range within a day.
(The desert sand becomes very hot during the day. The sand absorbs the heat and also acts like a mirror, reflecting the sunlight. This process heats the air layers above it. and when the sun sets it cools off very quickly. The desert air lacks humidity which cannot trap the heat and it quickly escapes, making cold nights).
When the wind blows, the air carries sand along with it, and the layer gets deposited over the panel’s surface, affecting its power output.
Thus, the residents of Rajasthan need solar panels that can perform well not only in hot temperatures but also withstand the temperature extremities.
The best solar panels for Rajasthan must have:
- Low-temperature coefficient of power: Every solar panel loses some power with the rise in its cell temperature. The solar panels with a low-temperature coefficient of power tend to lose less power with the rise in their cell temperature than the ones with a high value of this metric. Look for solar panels having a temperature coefficient of power < 0.35%/°C
- Wide operational temperature range: Look for solar panels with a wide temperature range like -40 °C to 85 °C.
- Highly efficient: To make solar panels perform well even when the sand layer is deposited over the solar panel’s surface, we need highly efficient solar panels. Look for solar panels with over 20% efficiency.
- Long Warranties: Long Product and Performance warranties of the solar panels ensure users’ peace of mind and they need not to worry about the quality for years.
Benefits of installing solar in Rajasthan
Solar offers many benefits to its users.
No carbon emissions: Solar electricity is a clean source of energy. The process of absorbing the sunlight and producing current by the solar panels does not release carbon emissions into the air.
A 5-kW solar power system mitigates over 7 tonnes of carbon emission annually.
- Smooth electricity: Solar panels produce a smooth current which improves the useful lives of the electrical appliances.
- Money saving: We have calculated above how much solar panels can save money when installed.
- Increase in the aesthetic value of a home: The sleek solar panels when installed on the roof of the house, add the aesthetic sense to the house and also increase its value.
Conclusion
Rajasthan is sun-rich and solar PV technology is lucrative in this state.
The average payback period after subsidy is 4.15 years.
Considering the Rajasthan climate, the best solar panels for this state are the ones:
- Having a lower temperature coefficient of power
- Highly efficient
- Wide temperature range
- Long Warranties
However, it is important to do the system maintenance periodically. The dust layer accumulated over the solar panels’ surface can impact their performance.
Therefore, regular cleaning helps in maintaining their performance even in extreme weather conditions.
