Some time ago, the idea of autonomous electrification seemed unattainable. However, with the advent of solar panels, it became more real than fantastic.
Some time ago, the idea of autonomous electrification seemed unattainable. However, with the advent of solar panels, it became more real than fantastic. There are a lot of houses in Europe that are “powered” by solar panels. In our country, this method of supplying electricity is just taking root. And, I must say, very successfully. If you decide to install a similar structure at your dacha, then it’s time to start collecting information about what it is and what it is eaten with.
The principle of operation of solar panels
To understand how a solar battery works, you will have to brush up on your physics knowledge on the topic of converting light energy into electrical energy:
Types of solar panels
Today, of the entire range, the most popular are 3 types of batteries made of silicon:
1. Monocrystalline batteries
They can be easily recognized by their appearance: these are panels with beveled corners. The photocells are square-shaped and black and “look” in one direction.
The efficiency is quite high - from 15% to 25%. Such panels should always face the sun. If the day is cloudy, the sun has set or has not yet risen, the power will be at a minimum.
Polycrystalline batteries
Square wafers are dark blue, sometimes interspersed with silicon crystals.
Compared to the first ones, they have a larger area and are perfect for installation on large surfaces. The efficiency is lower - from 12% to 15%. But, despite this, it is polycrystalline batteries that will be able to work on a rainy day.
Amorphous silicon batteries
This type of battery is cheaper than the previous two. Each panel is like a film with blue photocells.
Their efficiency is low - about 6%. And sputtered silicon layers quickly burn out under sunlight. But they absorb scattered light and IR rays well, so it makes sense to install them in areas where it is often cloudy.
What is included
Who should pay attention to solar panels
When asked about who most often buys solar panels for their dacha, experts answer quite unequivocally.
Few people make such a purchase for environmental reasons. Some people are attracted by cost savings. Others want to provide their home with a reliable, autonomous source of energy, so as not to depend on the whims of public utilities (residents of villages where electricity is often cut off or there is no electricity at all).
What can be connected to a solar battery
Before installing a set of solar panels, it is worth considering how electricity will be spent. After all, the power can be different, and it must be calculated based on how much the equipment “eats”. A regular set of batteries can handle:
In this case, the battery power will be 600 W.
What to look for when choosing
Pros and cons of solar panels
The undoubted advantages of this equipment include:
They also have disadvantages:
Whether this is a worthy alternative to centralized electricity or not, time will tell. In the meantime, solar panels are just beginning their “path” to our dachas.published If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project.
Battery- an essential part of a power plant that converts solar energy into electrical energy. The main function of the battery is the accumulation of energy and its subsequent release. The fact is that a solar battery can only function when there is sunlight, that is, during daylight hours.
In other words, energy will not be generated in cloudy weather or at night. It is at this time that the battery will release energy. The battery life of a solar battery is determined by the energy capacity of the battery.
In addition to capacity, another significant parameter of this element of a solar power plant is the largest number of cycles of full charge and full discharge of the battery, as well as the possible duration of its operation.
Taking into account some of the operating features of a solar power plant, the following requirements are imposed on its batteries:
Today, special batteries are produced specifically for solar panels. Such batteries meet all the above requirements. Unlike other batteries, they are characterized by a low self-discharge rate, as well as low sensitivity to charging and discharging, respectively, their operating efficiency and service life are high.
You should choose this type only if the place where the battery will be installed has good ventilation. This type of battery, designed to operate as part of a solar power station, has a fairly high self-discharge rate. They are used in cases where the solar battery is forced to operate in difficult conditions.
Such devices can be called the best option in cases where it is impossible to carry out constant maintenance of the system. In addition, gel batteries are indispensable if installed in a poorly ventilated area. However, such electrical energy storage devices cannot be called a budget option. In addition, the service life of such batteries is relatively short. The positive qualities of such elements include low losses of electrical energy, which will significantly extend the operation of the station at night and in cloudy weather.
The basis for the operation of these electrical energy storage devices are absorbent glass mats. Between the glass mats there is an electrolyte in a bound state. The battery can be used for its intended purpose in absolutely any position. The cost of such batteries is relatively low, and the charge level is quite high.
The service life of this battery is approximately five years. In addition, the distinctive features of an AGM-type battery are: the ability to move in a fully charged state, the ability to withstand up to eight hundred full charge and discharge cycles, relatively small size, fast charging (about seven and a half hours).
This battery operates in a temperature range from fifteen to twenty-five degrees. However, such batteries do not tolerate an incomplete charge.
The electrolyte in this battery has the consistency of jelly. The design of such batteries is highly resistant to charge and discharge. They do not require numerous maintenance activities. The cost of such an element is relatively low. Energy losses are also not significant.
The electrolyte in these batteries is in a liquid state. They do not require constant maintenance. In most cases, you will need to monitor your electrolyte levels about once a year. Such devices, designed to store electrical energy, are designed to discharge at low currents, and can also withstand a large number of full charge and discharge cycles.
However, the cost of such devices is quite high, so it is advisable to use them in powerful power plants that convert solar energy into electrical energy.
When choosing a battery for power plants that convert solar energy, the following criteria must be taken into account:
When choosing a battery for solar panels and calculating the parameters of this device, you must remember that during accumulation and during the conversion process, the devices lose part of the electrical energy. Typically, the efficiency of modern models for solar power plants is eighty-five percent.
First you need to calculate the power of expected energy production. Calculations are made based on the solar radiation power, taking into account the weather at different times of the year.
In addition, when obtaining the result, it is imperative to take into account the angles of inclination of the solar panel, and it does not matter whether it is oriented horizontally or vertically.
The angle of inclination is extremely important, so it must be chosen correctly.
If you plan to operate the system throughout the year, then it is best to orient the panel at an angle fifteen degrees greater than the geographic latitude of the facility where the system is located.
In addition to all this, it is necessary to take into account that during operation, dust, ice and snow will accumulate on the solar panel. For the Moscow region, the panel tilt angle is seventy percent, oriented to the south. If you plan to use a photovoltaic battery, then it can be installed on the facade of the house or on the roof, and the angle of inclination should be oriented in the east or west direction.
After choosing the angle of inclination of the solar panel, you need to calculate the possible productivity of the solar power plant, the required number of solar modules necessary for the system to operate in a certain mode. All calculations are carried out using the example of the worst month, most often this month is January, and the best for a solar power plant is July, as well as for most of the year, the period from the last month of winter, February, to the last month of autumn, November.
It is during this period that the sun is most active. The standard insolation rate is calculated for an area of one square meter, while the nominal power value is determined at a temperature of twenty-five degrees of a standard light flux of one kilowatt per square meter.
Taking the maximum value of insolation (the radiation power of the sun falling on the surface), the calculation shows that the value of the electrical energy generated by the battery relates to the value of the insolation index of one square meter, in the same way as the generated energy relates to the value of the power of solar radiation on the surface of the earth in clear weather , which is per square meter, that is, thousands of watts.
By multiplying the value of monthly insolation by the value of the generated power of the solar battery, divided by the maximum value of insolation, you can more accurately determine the possible monthly energy production of the solar panels.
Calculation of solar panel output is carried out by multiplying the value of monthly insolation, electrical energy generation and the ratio of the efficiency of the solar battery and the nominal value of the battery power.
In turn, the value of the rated power of the device is calculated by multiplying the maximum value of insolation power and the generation of electrical energy received from a solar power plant, divided by the product of monthly insolation and efficiency.
The following companies produce batteries for solar power plants:
All of the companies presented above, which have managed to establish themselves in the market very well, are engaged in the production of batteries for solar panels. The products of each company have their own characteristics. For example, batteries produced by Haza are manufactured using AGM and HZY technologies.
For stand-alone systems, batteries manufactured using Gel “deep discharge” technology or OPzV technology batteries are best suited. These characteristics correspond to batteries manufactured by Delta.
The cost of batteries for solar panels largely depends on the capacity of the device.
Let's look at the cost of batteries using the example of gel batteries produced by Delta:
It is the cheapest model, which has a capacity of twelve ampere hours.
Cost 1900 rubles.
Has a capacity of one hundred ampere hours.
The cost is 13,200 rubles.
It is one of the most expensive battery models for solar panels, with a capacity of two hundred ampere hours.
The cost is 29,430 rubles.
How to choose a solar panel? To do this, you must first decide on the type of device you are choosing, and then select it based on the other characteristics of the device. The criteria for choosing a solar battery will be discussed below.
Any energy panel of this type has several parts: frame, glass, special film of several types, elements, box. To eliminate the risk of overheating of individual elements, protective diodes are used. Laminating film coatings are needed to seal the internal space and avoid power loss, as well as protection from atmospheric exposure.
Battery performance deteriorates over time due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light on the film. The elements themselves usually do not fail for 12-17 years, unless, of course, the design is made to the best standards.
Choosing a solar battery begins with familiarizing yourself with the reputation of its manufacturer. You need to choose panels from companies that have multimillion-dollar production: usually they do not skimp on components that affect the life of the device.
To choose the best solar panels for your home, you need to compare the characteristics of products from several manufacturers and reviews about them. To do this, it is advisable to use open sources of information. To choose solar panels for your home, you need to select a battery based on the quality of the elements that make up the module.
They are divided into 3 types:
How to choose a solar battery based on the number of silicon diodes? Each such element can produce a maximum of 0.5 V. Standard solar modules can produce 12 V and contain 36 identical elements, and their power depends on the dimensions of each element. In practice, solar panels are assembled from the indicated modules, which can charge the battery, since their output voltage reaches 18 V. The reserve is needed to compensate for losses in the wires and controller.
There are modules in which 72 elements are connected. They can provide 24 V.
But there are also modular designs that, with the specified number of elements, can produce 12 V. It must be borne in mind that these types of panels are much cheaper than standard ones, since they are collected from the remaining waste of solar cells.
That is, not complete squares are used, but triangles and other geometric shapes cut from them. The reliability of such batteries is relatively low, since they have many more joints and connections, as well as microcracks in the internal structures of the element.
But in many cases, the buyer has to deal with non-standard batteries, which do not have 36 or 72 cells, but much more. Then we must take into account that a conventional PWM controller is not suitable for such designs, since power losses can amount to about 35% of the nominal value. An MPPT controller is provided for these installations.
Thus, if the buyer wants to use standard blocks of 12, 24 or 48 V, then he needs to select panels with the number of elements that are a multiple of 36. In this case, the normal operation of the entire device can be ensured by a PWM controller.
To choose the right solar panel, you need to know that batteries produced by various companies (both polycrystalline and monocrystalline) today can achieve an efficiency of no more than 12-18%. For the consumer, these figures show the dimensions of the future installation. For example, if you need to produce 100 W of power, then a battery with cells giving 12% efficiency will be larger in size than a module with modules consisting of diodes with 18% efficiency. But at the same time it will cost less.
But we must also take into account the fact that the lower the voltage at the maximum power point, the better the PWM controller will work. In this case, the power will be maximum, for example, for a 12-volt battery at a voltage of 17-18 V this gives a 1-2% gain in power, and although this seems not much, in fact any increase allows the battery to consistently produce the required characteristics.
If the consumer has the opportunity to use an MPPT controller, then the efficiency can be ignored altogether.
Much attention should be paid to selecting the rated voltage. If a PWM controller is used, then it should be equal to the battery voltage at the inverter output. To increase power, it is common to connect together several panels that have the same output voltage. For this you can purchase special adapters.
When purchasing, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary cables and sealed connectors.
It should be taken into account that batteries with a power of up to 50 W are not equipped with such materials. If the panel power is more than 70 W, then connectors and cables may or may not be present, which may lead to additional installation costs.
To make the right choice, you need to choose the products of the most popular manufacturer, purchase high-quality components (type A), and ensure that there is a standard number of elements in the module (36 or 72). It is recommended to check the presence of protective diodes, the required voltage, connectors and cables. If finances do not allow you to purchase type A, then you will have to buy less reliable modules, which will reduce battery life and power with large dimensions.
Sunlight is actively used as an alternative energy source all over the world. And this is not only independence from natural resources, which are not limitless, but also a significant contribution to the ecology of the entire planet.
One way to obtain such energy is through solar panels or batteries. Scientifically, these systems are called photovoltaic panels.
Photovoltaic power supply systems (PVS) operate on the principle of the physical law of the photoelectric effect. Without going into details, it can be described as the transformation of sunlight into electrical microdischarges.
As you know, the sun is an unlimited source of energy, but only a small part of it reaches the surface of the earth. However, this energy is quite enough, given that modern panels can use up to 45% of its amount.
Solar panels on the roofs of private houses
The modern world has long been using FSE on an industrial scale, this is especially true for countries where sunlight is active most of the year. Today, thanks to the falling prices for this equipment and the rising cost of electricity, some of them use private homes and cottages as the main or additional source of energy.
What about apartments?? Everything is more complicated here; firstly, there is not enough free space to install the panels. Secondly, this is difficult to coordinate among various supervisory authorities.
In general, this problem can be solved, but installing equipment in an apartment building will cost much more than in a private house.
Before installing such a system in your home, you need to decide on the type of panels themselves and the equipment set as a whole. And here there are several very important points that you need to know and on which the effectiveness of the installation depends.
What does the equipment set look like and how does it work?
A solar panel kit includes the panels themselves, a battery, a controller and an inverter. In some cases, the system may be different, depending on its purpose, let's look at them in more detail.
Types of panels
The efficiency of the entire system directly depends on this element, so their choice should be taken seriously. There are only three types, but only two have received widespread use; more about them.
Each photocell consists of one silicon crystal. They are the most efficient due to the one-way direction of these crystals, the efficiency is 20% - 24%, but they also cost a little more. They are easy to identify by their appearance; the panels have a rich blue color and rounded edges.
Panel price 250 W – 170-200 dollars.
Here, small silicon crystals are combined into photocells, which makes it impossible to create a uniform surface. This negatively affects the efficiency of the panel; its efficiency is approximately 18% less than monocrystal ones. However, the production of such batteries is less complex, which means they are cheaper.
Panel price 250 W – $150.
They are a layer of semiconductor (hydrogen silicon) deposited on a flexible substrate. Due to their flexibility, they can be mounted on curved surfaces. Low efficiency, on average 10.4%. However, such panels have higher absorption, which makes them more effective in cloudy weather.
Panel price 150 W – $250.
Efficiency level comparison table
Performance ratio of different types of panels from different manufacturers
Efficiency of solar power plant by month
In fact, you should choose panels based on two parameters: financial capabilities and available free space. If you want some save money, but have large areas for installation, you can take polycrystalline. If space is limited, but you need to make the most of it, take it monocrystalline.
Another important thing to know is the aging factor. Every year the productivity of the blocks decreases slightly. Monosilicon ages by about 17–20% over 25 years, while for monocrystalline elements this figure can be as much as 30%.
What are solar concentration rays and how do they affect performance?
As you can judge from the photo illustration, the more shaded the panel, the lower its performance.
Video review of panels
Connecting the invector to the network
Without this element, the solar panel system simply cannot work. It performs the function of a DC converter from the panels to AC with a voltage of 220 volts. Their power can be from 100 to 8000 W. But, not everything is so simple, there are 3 types of invectors:
Autonomous inverter (designation off grid). This device is installed inside the system, performing all functions, but does not have the technical ability to connect to an external network. Cannot redirect electricity to batteries
Network(or synchronous with the designation on grid) can operate with a connection to an external power grid. It can regulate energy flows depending on the power required. If there is a lack of electricity, the batteries will take what is needed from the network. In case of excess send excess to batteries. Excess electricity can also be redirected to an external network (if the automatic transmission is not connected or is fully charged).
Multifunctional inverter A universal option that works like both previous types of devices. It also has a large number of additional settings, which is why it is the most expensive. The best option for home power plants.
Installation of solar panels with a capacity of up to 1 kW/hour = 90,000 rubles (without battery system, 8 monocrystals and autonomous inverter). Household needs, plus heated floors.
We calculate profitability. Let's say we spend a month:
Thus, we calculated that solar electricity is 28 times more expensive than a conventional network, the figure is scary, but not everything is so bad. Now let's calculate the payback:
Cost per year, with a consumption of 600 kW = 38,000 rubles.
We invested 90,000 rubles, divide by the annual expense, theoretical payback occur in 2.3 years. However, the average annual daylight hours for the Moscow region is 34%, which means that our batteries will only work a third of the time, accordingly their payback period will increase exactly 3 times, that is, up to 6.9 years.
