Testing and Performance Assessment of 1KWp Solar Rooftop System

Abstract

The alternative energy flux reaching the Earths surface represents a couple of thousand-fold the current use of primary energy by humans. The potential of this resource is gigantic and makes alternative energy a vital part of a renewable energy portfolio geared toward  reducing  the  world  emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous Institute has recently estimated Indias solar energy potential of the order of 748.98 GW considering only portions of waste lands and other land areas available for installation. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has recently estimated the potential of 124 GW for rooftop solar based on current data buildings. The country is endowed with excellent solar radiation over a majority of its land area. States located in the Western, Central and South- Western part of the country hold enormous potential for solar power, where many areas show 5-6 kWh/m2/day of DNI. A clear sunny weather is experienced for 250 to 300 days in a year in most part of the country and the annual global variation varies from 1600 to 2200 kWh/m2. The main object of this paper is to design of the solar rooftop system, selection of its component and to analyse the performance of this system. Also to measure the effect of various factors such as temperature, wind velocity, dust, and seasonal atmospheric condition on the performance of the system. As per the recorded data, the system is generating 3 to 4 unit per day and its payback period is around 6 and half years. Payback period is higher because the system is the off-grid type.