Why Go Solar ?

I. Return on investment is only 6%, so is it a viable system ?

Taking only return of investment into account, it is NOT a viable system. If taking into account the cost of NOT having electricity, it is a very viable system. The grid power shuts off unannounced and often. It disrupts morning work. The items in the refrigerator gets spoiled. So what is the cost of not having electricity ..? The cost of power is likely to go up by at least 5% every year. It will hardly ever come down. So one can lock down input cost for a home or small business for 10 years.

II. Is the Solar system convenient to use ?

It takes more than lifting a finger to turn on the switch. That said, most solar panels have a warranty of 25 years.Replacing batteries (every 6-7 years), cleaning panels (every 3 months) and checking voltages (every 3-6 months) are the only things needed. Again these maintenance only increase efficiency , they are not an absolute must and can be performed at ones own convenience.

III. My budget is below Rs. 52,000. What are the options ?

The only other viable option is to try your luck in section 11 below to make your house more energy efficient. Other than that, I do NOT recommend skimping or cutting corners on any of the components involved as they will reduce the reliability and life of solar power generation. Under any circumstance, no one can save money by buying cheap electrical equipment because they often need to be replaced.

Central government does give subsidies. It is 30% for home installation. Some state governments also give subsidies, read on them and utilize them to the fullest. Electricians do have the knowledge on subsidies.So pay them the right commission and utilize the subsidies while they last.

They also have a good knowledge on the electrical components. However one fore-warning when working with electricians.They do try to sell sub standard equipment to save money in the short term, to win your business. That is one thing to watch out for.

You can just have a 0.5 KVA system , and charge your UPS. But that will not be sufficient to run devices like washing machines.

IV. I am yet to believe the viability of the solar system. What if it did not work ?

It is understandable. Start small, then grow big. Start by installing solar water heater if you are consuming hot water on a regular basis. Also try solar powered fans (Rs. 8,000 and above) and solar lamps (Rs. 1000 and above). As solar powered devices run on DC, they are very reliable and have a long life.

Then monitor to see if your power consumption goes down. Do the math yourself then invest in solar power generation. If you choose to install later, you need to generate only for the remaining power consumption. So the money spent on these solar devices do not go waste.

V. Why go solar ? Bribe the EB department to have 2 separate power meters installed at the house, one for each floor. As the first 100 units is subsidized at Re.1. , it saves money...Is it not a better option ?

This is the most popular question across many people from many states. Governments do change and the next government might do an inspection...You would have to bribe again. Also subsidies do not last, look at the petrol subsidies, they are gone for good.

VI. Why not just have a UPS with a 3KV battery ?

With frequent and long power outages the battery will often discharge completely. It will hardly last for 2 years.This is a work around to the power problem. Not a solution.

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