1.

Solar Panels

A solar panel is a set of solar photovoltaic cells electrically connected and mounted on a supporting structure. A solar
photovoltaic panel/ module is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells. The solar panel can be used as a component
of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. Each solar
panel is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions (STC), and typically ranges from 100 to 320 watts.
The efficiency of a solar panel determines the area of a module given the same rated output - an 8% efficient 230 watt
module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 watt module. A single solar panel/module can produce only a
limited amount of power; most installations contain multiple panels/modules.

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2. Solar modules

The term Solar modules is also referred for Solar panels. Details of Solar Panels/Modules mentioned above in Point# 1.

3. Micro inverters

A solar micro-inverter, or simply micro inverter, converts direct current (DC) electricity from a single solar panel to
alternating current (AC). The output from several micro-inverters is combined and often fed to the electrical grid. Microinverters contrast with conventional string or central inverter devices, which are connected to multiple solar panels.
Micro-inverters have several advantages over conventional central inverters. The main advantage being small amounts of
shading, debris or snow lines on any one solar panel, or even a complete panel failure, does not disproportionately reduce
the output of the entire array. Each micro-inverter harvests optimum power by performing maximum power point
tracking for its connected panel. They are also simple to design and stock, as there is normally only a single model of
inverter that can be used with any size array and a wide variety of panels. The primary disadvantages of a micro-inverter
include a higher initial equipment cost per peak watt than the equivalent power of a central inverter, and increased
installation time since each inverter needs to be installed adjacent to a panel (usually on a roof). This also makes them
harder to maintain.

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4. Inverters

A solar inverter, or PV inverter, converts the variable direct current (DC) output of a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel into a
utility frequency alternating current (AC) that can be fed into a commercial electrical grid or used by a local, off-grid
electrical network. It is a critical component in a photovoltaic system, allowing the use of ordinary commercial appliances.
Solar inverters have special functions adapted for use with photovoltaic arrays, including maximum power point tracking
and anti-islanding protection.
Solar inverters may be classified into three broad types.

Stand-alone inverters - used in isolated systems where the inverter draws its DC energy from batteries charged by
photovoltaic arrays. Many stand-alone inverters also incorporate integral battery chargers to replenish the battery
from an AC source, when available. Normally these do not interface in any way with the utility grid, and as such,
are not required to have anti-islanding protection.

Grid-tie inverters - which match phase with a utility-supplied sine wave. Grid-tie inverters are designed to shut
down automatically upon loss of utility supply, for safety reasons. They do not provide backup power during utility
outages.

Battery backup inverters - are special inverters which are designed to draw energy from a battery, manage the
battery charge via an onboard charger, and export excess energy to the utility grid. These inverters are capable of
supplying AC energy to selected loads during a utility outage, and are required to have anti-islanding protection.

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5. Solar Energy Storage System

Solar with Energy storage facility is generally known as solar Off-grid systems. In these systems Solar electricity is produced
when Photons from the sun rays hit Photovoltaic panels, and electrons are generated in the Photovoltaic cells, leading to
production of Direct Current (DC). The energy generated by PV modules is stored in rechargeable batteries and this energy
is consumed as per the designed application.
The DC electricity from the panels or/and battery passes through DC distribution network to a inverter, which converts the
DC electricity into AC for Single/Three phase operation by using state of the art technology with MOSFET/ IGBT
methodology and fed through A/C distribution system linked to the consumer load.

The Photovoltaic (PV) Battery Backup system has mainly 4 components:

-

PV Modules

Battery Bank

Power Conditioning Unit (PCU)

Module Mounting Structure

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5. Solar technology

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar
heating, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal electricity, solar architecture and artificial photosynthesis.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture,
convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal
collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with
favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

6. LEDs

The LED- Light Emitting Diode is a semiconductor device. LED consists of a chip of semiconducting material doped with
impurities to create a p-n junction. As in other diodes, current flows easily from the p-side, or anode, to the n-side, or
cathode, but not in the reverse direction. Charge-carrierselectrons and holesflow into the junction from electrodes
with different voltages. When an electron meets a hole, it falls into a lower energy level and releases energy in the form of
a photon.
The wavelength of the light emitted, and thus its color, depends on the band gap energy of the materials forming the p-n
junction. The materials used for the LED have a direct band gap with energies corresponding to near-infrared, visible, or
near-ultraviolet light.

7. LED lighting

Light - emitting diode (LED) lighting is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and
are increasingly used for general lighting. Appearing as practical electronic components in 1962, early LEDs emitted lowintensity red light, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared wavelengths, with very
high brightness.
When a light-emitting diode is switched on, electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy
in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence, and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of
the photon) is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor. An LED is often small in area (less than 1 mm 2),
and integrated optical components may be used to shape its radiation pattern. LEDs have many advantages over
incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical robustness, smaller

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size, and faster switching. However, LEDs powerful enough for room lighting are relatively expensive, and require more
precise current and heat management than compact fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output.
Light-emitting diodes are used in applications as diverse as aviation lighting, automotive lighting, advertising, general
lighting and traffic signals. LEDs have allowed new text, video displays, and sensors to be developed, while their high
switching rates are also useful in advanced communications technology. Infrared LEDs are also used in the remote control
units of many commercial products including televisions, DVD players and other domestic appliances. LEDs are used to
create a new form of wireless internet access called Li-Fi, or light fidelity. LEDs are also used in seven-segment display.

8. Wafers

In electronics, a wafer (also called a slice or substrate) is a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as a silicon crystal,
used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other micro-devices. The wafer serves as the substrate for
microelectronic devices built in and over the wafer and undergoes many micro fabrication process steps such as doping or
ion implantation, etching, deposition of various materials, and photolithographic patterning. Finally the individual
microcircuits are separated (dicing) and packaged.
Several types of solar cell are also made from such wafers. On a solar wafer a solar cell (usually square) is made from the
entire wafer.

9. Photovoltaic

Photovoltaic (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity
using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed
of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaic include
monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium
selenide/sulfide. Due to the increased demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and
photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years.
Solar photovoltaic is a sustainable energy source. Solar photovoltaic is now, after hydro and wind power, the third most
important renewable energy source in terms of globally installed capacity. More than 100 countries use solar PV.

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Installations may be ground-mounted (and sometimes integrated with farming and grazing) or built into the roof or walls
of a building (either building-integrated photovoltaic or simply rooftop).

10. Solar Energy

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar
heating, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal electricity, solar architecture and artificial photosynthesis.
The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere. Approximately
30% is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses. The spectrum of solar light at
the Earth's surface is mostly spread across the visible and near-infrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet.
Earth's land surface, oceans and atmosphere absorb solar radiation, and this raises their temperature. Warm air
containing evaporated water from the oceans rises, causing atmospheric circulation or convection. When the air reaches a
high altitude, where the temperature is low, water vapor condenses into clouds, which rain onto the Earth's surface,
completing the water cycle. The latent heat of water condensation amplifies convection, producing atmospheric
phenomena such as wind, cyclones and anti-cyclones. Sunlight absorbed by the oceans and land masses keeps the surface
at an average temperature of 14 C. By photosynthesis green plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, which
produces food, wood and the biomass from which fossil fuels are derived.

11. Off Grid

The term off-grid refers to not being connected to a grid, mainly used in terms of not being connected to the main or
national electrical grid. In electricity, off-grid can be stand-alone systems (SHS) or mini-grids typically to provide a smaller
community with electricity. Off-grid electrification is an approach to access electricity used in countries and areas with
little access to electricity, due to scattered or distant population. It can be any kind of electricity generation. The term offthe-grid (OTG) can refer to living in a self-sufficient manner without reliance on one or more public utilities.

12. On-Grid

An on-grid or grid-tie solar photovoltaic system is when your solar photovoltaic system is connected to a utility source or
electrical service provider. You pay for the amount of electricity you consume to the utility provider. Grid-tie solar systems
use inverters that meet the requirements of the utility and must not emit noise that can interfere with electrical devices
such as reception for television and must retain acceptable levels of harmonic distortion for quality of voltage and current

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output waveforms. On-grid solar systems are advantageous as the electricity is utilized by the owner during the day and
any surplus is supplied to the grid; some utilities pay for this surplus electricity at a higher rate known as a Feed In Tariff
(FIT). During the evenings, when solar electricity is not generated, electricity is drawn from the grid avoiding the need for
costly battery banks.

13. Solar power technology

Solar energy technologies use the sun's energy and light to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for
homes, businesses, and industry.
There are a variety of technologies that have been developed to take advantage of solar energy.
Solar Energy Technologies:

Photovoltaic Systems - Producing electricity directly from sunlight.

Solar Hot Water - Heating water with solar energy.

Solar Electricity - Using the sun's heat to produce electricity.

Passive Solar Heating and Day lighting - Using solar energy to heat and light buildings.

Solar Process Space Heating and Cooling - Industrial and commercial uses of the sun's heat.

14. Electricity

Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric charge. Electricity gives a
wide variety of well-known effects, such as lightning, static electricity, electromagnetic induction and electrical current. In
addition, electricity permits the creation and reception of electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves.
In electricity, charges produce electromagnetic fields which act on other charges. Electricity occurs due to several types of
physics:

Electric charge: a property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interactions.
Electrically charged matter is influenced by, and produces, electromagnetic fields.

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Electric field: an especially simple type of electromagnetic field produced by an electric charge even when it is not
moving (i.e., there is no electric current). The electric field produces a force on other charges in its vicinity.

Electric potential: the capacity of an electric field to do work on an electric charge, typically measured in volts.

Electric current: a movement or flow of electrically charged particles, typically measured in amperes.

Electromagnets: Moving charges produce a magnetic field. Electrical currents generate magnetic fields, and
changing magnetic fields generate electrical currents.

15. Green energy

Green energy/ renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally
replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat and dont create any
pollution in environment. Renewable energy replaces conventional fuels in four distinct areas: electricity generation, hot
water/space heating, motor fuels, and rural (off-grid) energy services.
About 16% of global final energy consumption presently comes from renewable resources, with 10% of all energy from
traditional biomass, mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from hydroelectricity. New renewables (small hydro, modern
biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) account for another 3% and are growing rapidly. At the national level, at
least 30 nations around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20% of energy supply. National
renewable energy markets are projected to continue to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond. Wind power, for
example, is growing at the rate of 30% annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of 282,482 megawatts (MW) at the
end of 2012.

16. Storage batteries

A rechargeable battery, storage battery, or accumulator is a type of electrical battery. It comprises one or more
electrochemical cells, and is a type of energy accumulator. It is known as a secondary cell because its electrochemical
reactions are electrically reversible. Rechargeable batteries come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from button
cells to megawatt systems connected to stabilize an electrical distribution network. Several different combinations of
chemicals are commonly used, including: leadacid, nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Liion), and lithium ion polymer (Li-ion polymer).
Rechargeable batteries are used for automobile starters, portable consumer devices, light vehicles (such as motorized
wheelchairs, golf carts, electric bicycles, and electric forklifts), tools, and uninterruptible power supplies. Emerging

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applications in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles are driving the technology to reduce cost and weight and
increase lifetime.
Grid energy storage applications use rechargeable batteries for load leveling, where they store electric energy for use
during peak load periods, and for renewable energy uses, such as storing power generated from photovoltaic arrays
during the day to be used at night. By charging batteries during periods of low demand and returning energy to the grid
during periods of high electrical demand, load-leveling helps eliminate the need for expensive peaking power plants and
helps amortize the cost of generators over more hours of operation.

17. Solar cell

A solar cell (also called a photovoltaic cell) is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity
by the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell (in that its electrical characteristicse.g. current, voltage, or
resistancevary when light is incident upon it) which, when exposed to light, can generate and support an electric current
without being attached to any external voltage source, but do require an external load for power consumption.
Photovoltaic is the field of technology and research related to the practical application of photovoltaic cells in producing
electricity from light, though it is often used specifically to refer to the generation of electricity from sunlight. Cells can be
described as photovoltaic even when the light source is not necessarily sunlight (lamplight, artificial light, etc.). In such
cases the cell is sometimes used as a photodetector (for example infrared detectors), detecting light or other
electromagnetic radiation near the visible range, or measuring light intensity.
The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) cell requires 3 basic attributes:
1.

The absorption of light, generating either electron-hole pairs or exciters.

2.

The separation of charge carriers of opposite types.

3.

The separate extraction of those carriers to an external circuit.

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