The demand for solar panels in India is growing by the day. Driven by low costs, ease of availability, ample space to harness solar power, and the positive thrust by the government on green energy, solar panels (or rooftop solar panels) are emerging as an excellent option to generate clean, renewable energy.

If you are looking to buy solar panels for your home, business, or any other domestic/commercial application, you are definitely at the right place. Here at SolarCellsIndia, we will tell you what solar panels are, how they work, why we need them, and what we should consider before purchasing one.

What are Solar Panels?

Solar panels are simple devices that take the light energy of the sun (solar) and convert it into electricity. This current powers electrical loads in our homes, offices, businesses, and everywhere else. A solar panel becomes a rooftop solar panel used at the top of the buildings.

Solar panels comprise individual solar cells known as PV cells, solar PV modules, or photovoltaic cells. Several of these modules are layered together to create one panel. They are mounted in a frame after necessary circuitry is provided and covered in glass.

Individual solar modules or PV cells can generate at most 0.5V to 0.6V of open-circuit voltage. However, this is not enough to meet our daily energy demands. That is why several of these modules feature series connections to make a solar panel.

Here is a quick breakdown in simple terms to understand how they work.

Each photovoltaic cell features several layers of semiconducting material silicon doped with phosphorous (negatively charged) and boron (positively charged) sandwiched together. As a result, an electric field is created at the junction of the layers.

Sunlight beams contain particles of energy called photons. When photons strike solar panels, it leads to a phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect – wherein electrons within the PV cells are knocked out of their stable state when exposed to sunlight. To be more precise, photons – upon striking the panels – transfer their energy to dislodge electrons.

These loose electrons then seek the path of least resistance to their original stable state of equilibrium. This happens only after they have been made to flow through a circuit as electric current, which powers our homes, power grids, businesses, and infrastructure.

After powering the devices, the electrons return to the solar panel circuitry and create a closed-loop, thereby finding rest in their original state. This process happens as long as there is sunlight striking the panels.

Why do we need Solar Panels?

Solar power is a renewable form of energy that is clean, efficient, and eco-friendly. It does not pollute the environment; we can generate enough electricity from it (as long as there is sunlight) and reduce our carbon footprint.

Amidst the rapidly worsening global climate crisis and unpredictable weather conditions, solar panels can help us reduce our dependence for energy on non-clean sources like oil and coal.

Moreover, solar panels can help meet energy requirements in remote and off-grid conditions where a utility power grid is unavailable. For example, in India, where not everyone has access to grid electricity, solar power can help offset that demand. The investment cost may be high but is nowhere as high as installing the utility cable poles from the nearest grid access point.

In on-grid conditions, solar panels can be an investment by sending extra electricity to the grid (after meeting the home requirements) – for a price. In this case, electricity bills become non-existent, and you can sell surplus power. Of course, these require ideal operating conditions, but it is not entirely impossible.

Cost of Solar Panels in India

India is positioned beautifully to leverage solar energy. The cost of panels is undoubtedly cheaper and reasonably priced when compared to the West.

Solar panels come in various shapes and sizes, with ratings starting at 10W, 12V to 400-530W, 24V and so on. 

The cost of solar panels here starts at Rs.1,000 and can go up to Rs.40,000 per panel. The prices depend primarily on:

• Power rating: Higher the Wattage, the more expensive will be the panel
• Type of panel: monocrystalline panels are the most expensive, while polycrystalline panels are the most affordable
• Power requirement: The higher your energy requirement, the more panels you will need to generate the electricity

Apart from this, the total cost of your system may be higher – depending on the type of solar electric system you are running. For instance, an off-grid system will need batteries, and a hybrid system will need specialised hybrid inverters and batteries to operate.

On the bright side, solar panels are long life. They can function for up to 25-30 years if maintained properly. This is more than enough time to get back returns on your investment – alongside raking in substantial savings from not paying electricity bills.

Types of Solar Panels

When you go to buy solar cells in India, you will quite likely find three types to choose from:

• Monocrystalline
• Polycrystalline
• Thin-film

Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages – for more information, we request you to check out our detailed blog on solar panel types.

Over here, we will quickly touch upon the basics.

Monocrystalline Solar Panels

As you may know, solar panels are made of silicon wafers – which are then arranged in rows and columns and then assembled.

With monocrystalline panels, the wafers are cut from a single, pure crystal of silicon. As a result, their structure is more ‘pure’, and they have higher efficiency. For this reason, they are also the most expensive. In a nutshell:

• Monocrystalline solar panels have efficiency upwards of 15-20% – the highest in the market
• They have a higher performance rating
• Features a solid black colour
• They are the most expensive

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

Polycrystalline, or multi-crystalline solar panels, feature multiple silicon crystals in their make. Instead of using a single crystal, silica fragments are melted together in a mould and then cast into wafers.

As a result, the end product contains impurities within its structure. Therefore:

• Polycrystalline cells have efficiency ranging from 15-17%
• They are highly cost-effective and cheap
• They have a bluish hue

Thin-film Solar Panels

As the name suggests, thin-film solar cells are thin and, to some extent, flexible. They are 300 times thinner than your regular polycrystalline or monocrystalline cells, although their efficiency ranges from 5-15%.

However, they are the lightest solar panels on the market. In general, thin-film panels:

• Use less silicon than traditional panels
• Feature low power output
• Require large areas for installation
• Suitable for commercial applications where the weight of the panels is a concern or for portable solar power systems like RVs, boats, etc.
• Easy to install, requires less manual labour and effort

Bifacial Solar Cells

You may also find words like bifacial cells in your search for rooftop solar panels.

Bifacial solar cells generate electricity from both sides of the panel. In traditional models – which are opaque – when sunlight strikes the surface (ground) below the panels, it gets reflected and dispersed.

Bifacial panels tap into this as both sides are exposed and feature PV cells. When they are installed on highly reflective surfaces (white rooftop, light-coloured stones on the ground), the solar energy reflected from the ‘other side’ gets utilised and converted into electricity. For this reason, bifacial solar cells have a higher installation height.

These cells can increase the efficiency and total output – all the while occupying less space.

PERC Technology

Several solar panels available in India feature PERC technology. It is one of the recent advancements in the industry and is responsible for increasing the panels’ efficiency.

PERC stands for Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) solar technology – which is a fancy way of saying that the technology overcomes certain drawbacks in traditional solar cells.

For a technical explanation, you can visit our PERC solar cells page. However, for a simpler explanation, PERC can help:

• Reduce efficiency losses
• Improve sunlight capturing
• Prevent electron-hole surface recombination
• Reduce the reflection of light by solar cells themselves

On average, PERC technology can improve cell efficiency by one whole per cent – which may not seem like a lot, but it has truly revolutionised the solar cells industry. PERC technology is available across mono and polycrystalline rooftop solar panels.

Buying Solar Panels: Here is What you Must Remember

Solar panels are easy to work with, but there are a few things to consider.

• You must calculate your power requirements. You can do so easily by looking at your monthly electricity bills. The number of panels you require will depend on how much energy you need.
  
• Space is important. Depending on how many panels you need, you will likely require a bit of space. Rooftop space is the best way to go – provided they receive uninterrupted sunlight and are not prone to shading. A panel may occupy 20-30 square feet of space.
  
• You should also calculate the sunlight hours your area receives. For solar energy to work best, it needs sunlight. Solar power may not be a feasible option if you live in an area that doesn’t get that much sun.

The rest of it should fall into place quickly; once you know the type of solar power electric system you want (on-grid, off-grid, hybrid), you can buy the rest of the components accordingly.

At SolarCellsIndia, you will find one of the best selections of solar panels – carefully handpicked from different leading vendors to make the transition to green energy easy for you.

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