Types of solar power plant system

What are the different solar power plant systems? Which type works best? Some tough questions that often come to mind while deciding to take on a renewable energy project. However, depending on the purpose (commercial solar or residential solar) location or budget, the type of solar power plant system may change.. Whether your main focus is reducing cost or utility bills, generating revenue, or going green,  getting the maximum yield out of your solar power plant system is key. There are mainly 3 types of solar power plant system, Grid tied systems, off grid or standalone systems, and hybrid systems.

 

 

 

3 Types of Solar Power Systems

Grid tied system:

This system means your solar system is tied to your local utility company’s system. There are two types of grid connect systems, those without energy storage system (ESS) backup and those with ESS backup. Grid connected systems without ESS batteries consist of two main components, a solar PV array and a grid-connect inverter. If the utility grid fails then the solar PV array has no way of providing power as the inverter will automatically disconnect itself from the utility grid.
Grid-tied systems with ESS backup batteries also have an array and a grid-tied inverter, but include the addition of the ESS battery bank and charge controller. Systems with a battery bank can provide power in the event of the electricity (utility) grid failure.

Off-Grid system:

Being off-grid means you are not connected in any way to your grid’s power system or utility company. Typical stand-alone solar power systems consist of solar panels (to collect the power), an array DC disconnect (to be able to cut the power from the PV panels), a charge controller (to regulate the charge to the battery), a battery bank (to store power), a system meter (to monitor power usage and status), a main DC disconnect (to cut power to battery bank / inverter), an inverter (to convert it from DC to AC), an AC breaker panel (to accept and distribute power to your household loads). A generator can also be connected to the inverter as back-up power. There are some off-grid applications where there are no batteries, and power only gets used when the sun shines. However, most off-grid systems do use batteries. Batteries can only store a finite amount of power, so power conservation helps a lot in making an off-grid system perform as expected.

Advantage Vs disadvantage

 

Grid tied system:

 

Advantages:

If you are producing more energy with your solar panels, the excess energy is sent to your grid’s power company, allowing you to build credit that you can cash out with at the end of the year, in a process called net metering. Being grid-tied is beneficial because you don’t necessarily have to buy an expensive battery back-up system to store any excess energy. As it does not require battery banks and other standalone components, it is relatively cheaper than Off-Grid or hybrid systems.

Disadvantages:

The permits and legal requirements for installing grid connected systems can be costly, complex and time-consuming. In addition, in case there is no battery bank (ESS) you cannot store electricity so, in the event of your grid failing during the night, you will not have any electricity.

Off-Grid system:

 

Advantages:

Only option if you live in a remote area with no grid access, an off-grid system is appealing because you are 100% self-sustaining your energy use. Independence is chief among the reasons for wanting an off-grid system where the grid is available. Off-grid systems are not subject to the terms or policies of the local utility, nor are system owners subjected to rate increases, blackouts, or brownouts.

Disadvantages:

However, there are disadvantages because off-grid systems require you to purchase back-up battery which can be expensive, bulky, and not very environmentally friendly which defeats the purpose of going solar (save money and have green energy). Standalone systems have more components and therefore need more maintenance, and regular care for the batteries. Replacement of battery banks is another problem. They are designed to last for 7-10 years after which they need to be replaced. This is a cost worth being taken into account.

Solar hybrid System:

Hybrid solar systems can be called the best of both worlds. They are also referred to as off grid solar systems with an option of utility backup.

One configuration of this system requires you to have a disconnect switch which you could toggle on or off depending upon your electricity requirements. Usually this is an automatic switch.

Advantages:

You can switch between power from the grid or power from your battery bank at you own will. Less expensive than a complete standalone system, as there is no need for a backup generator. The possibility to connect to the grid serves as the backup power. Availability of the grid means that you can likely downsize your battery bank capacity. Less maintenance and higher reliability IF the grid is reliable.

Disadvantages:

The only disadvantage with a hybrid solar system is that it cannot be used in remote areas where there is no grid power.

 

 

 

Contact us now and get a free assessment and quotation for your project:

 

Email: hse@hdsolar.co.kr

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