Drastically hit by the frequent power cuts and steep increase in electricity tariff, people are now desperate to find an effective alternative. Conventional inverters provide some solace. But can these inverters really fill in the need?
"No",” says L.Dhanasekarapandian, Managing Director of DSP Microtechnics Pvt. Ltd. “They are temporary solutions, designed basically to provide a power back up for maximum four hours. After that, the machine has to be switched off and cannot be switched on even after the power supply resumes as the battery has to be recharged,” he adds.
This can, however, be rectified if the original source of power is solar. “Since you generate your own power you need not depend on the State Electricity Board and also be blessed with uninterrupted power supply,” says Dhanasekarapandian.
Affordable package
Despite numerous benefits of solar power, people still prefer the traditional inverters due to the cost. “Solar panels are expensive, but in the long run they reduce your electricity bill. We have evolved an economy module which is priced below Rs.20,000,” he says.
Having worked in this field for more than a decade, his team has surveyed, researched and come out with this package which satisfies the basic electricity need of a family. “The package includes a solar panel, a control unit and a compatible inverter (to convert direct current to alternating current). The total unit runs till the sun sets powering two tube lights and two fans. Once dusk sets in, the conventional power takes over. Hence, power consumption is reduced considerably which is well reflected in the electricity bill at the end of the month,” says Dhanasekarapandian.
He advocates semi-maintenance free batteries to store solar power. In his opinion, tubular batteries, though much sought after are not suitable. “Tubular batteries are expensive and run out of steam soon. Plate-based batteries always perform better and are comparatively cheaper,” he says.
Since the oversized solar panels occupy more space on the roof, the team is also working on the thin film technology to reduce the size of the panel for optimum use of roof space.
After sales service is another factor to be taken into consideration. This is where branded companies edge past others with their wide network. “Considering the lack of awareness among people about solar energy, onus is on companies to provide adequate service support to promote their product,” says S. Suthagar, director, Friends At Your Service, an eco-friendly service organization.
Branded companies like Selco have also come out with their own economy packages toattract people to solar energy. Selco’s basic module is priced at Rs.9999.
“It works on direct current and includes a solar panel, charge control unit and battery,”says Nambirajan, S., Senior Executive, Selco Solar Electric Light Company. “The unit powers two CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) lights. As our company is approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) our products are eligible for subsidy through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),” he says.
Since most of the households use alternating current, one needs a compatible inverter. Moreover, if one prefers to use direct current then only gadgets that are compatible to that source should be used which involves additional investment.
“Once inverter is included in the Selco package then it becomes expensive,” says Nambirajan. “For example, the package to power one lamp and one fan using alternating current costs Rs.52,000 in our scheme. The package includes a 60watts solar panel, 110 Ah battery, 15 Amps charge regulator and 250 VA inverter. Whereas, a similar package to power two CFL bulbs and one fan using direct current is comparatively cheaper. The package, priced at Rs.23,000, includes 60 Ah battery, charge control unit and 40 watts solar panel. It can provide four hours back up,” he adds.
As solar panel installations are eco-friendly and can greatly reduce the burden on the government in power generation, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with subsidy through NABARD for solar lighting and small capacity photovoltaic systems.
Subsidy for solar installations
“The subsidy is for home lighting, both urban and rural,” says R. Shankar Narayan, Assistant General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. “Beneficiaries can avail the subsidy only through bank loan. Once loan application is submitted to the bank, it is forwarded to our regional office. On conforming to the guidelines framed in consultation with MNRE, the subsidy component of 40 per cent is released to the bank. The full cost for the project is released by the bank directly to the manufacturers,” he says.
Of the total project cost, the bank extends loan for 50 per cent and 40 per cent being the subsidy, 10 per cent is the beneficiaries' initial payment towards the project.
Conserving energy is as important as generating energy. Under conventional set up, the lighting systems that people use consume a lot of power. A quick rethink and replacement of all the traditional lighting gadgets with the CFLs and Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs will greatly reduce power consumption.
