An off grid solar power system is completely separated from mains power and is little expensive as it utilities a battery bank for storing electricity generated by solar panels. During the day the sun shines and charges the batteries as well as supplies power to your home. During the evening or on rainy days when the sun isn’t shining you use the power stored in the batteries.
HOW AN OFF GRID SYSTEM WORKS
- 1) Solar Panel : Solar panel converts solar energy into electric energy (DC Electricity).
- 2) Charge Controller :Regulates the charge of solar electricity into the batteries.
- 3) Batteries : It stores energy received from Solar panel via charge controller. Helps to provide energy when there is no solar energy available i.e. Nights and Cloudy Days.
- 4) Solar Inverter : Convert DC electricity into AC electricity same quality as the utility electricity and regulates the AC charge to the batteries from the utility or generator source
- 5) Loads : Powered by Solar energy.
Advantages
1. No access to the utility grid
Off-grid solar systems can be cheaper than extending power lines in certain remote areas.
Consider off-gird if you’re more than 100 yards from the grid. The costs of overhead transmission lines range from $174,000 per mile (for rural construction) to $11,000,000 per mile (for urban construction).[2]
2. Become energy self-sufficient
Living off the grid and being self-sufficient feels good. For some people, this feeling feeling is worth more than saving money. Energy self-sufficiency is also a form of security. Power failures on the utility grid do not affect off-grid solar systems.
On the flip side, batteries can only store a certain amount of energy, and during cloudy times, being connected to the grid is actually where the security is. You should install a backup generator to be prepared for these kinds of situations.