Types of New Solar Systems – Which One is Best?
Solar panels are the best energy-efficient solutions for your home or work place, offering lots of benefits. One of the important benefits of solar systems is the reduction in high electricity bills, especially in summer season. Considering this major benefit, a large number of peoples in Pakistan are getting solar panels for their homes and work place.
The federal government has implemented an 18% sales tax on the import of solar systems; therefore, it is important to make a wise decision when you are paying a higher amount. There are three main types of solar systems available in the market. Let’s have a look at them and see what they have to offer us.
On-Grid Solar Systems
An on-grid system is a type of solar system that is connected to the main grid. Which means when the solar panels are not working, such as at night or rainy season, the main grid becomes the source of electricity. Furthermore, it is not connected with the batteries; therefore, no excess electricity is stored and is transferred to the main grid via net metering.
Also read: On-Grid Solar System: Everything You Need to Know
What is Net Metering?
Net metering is an electricity billing system that is an important part of the on-grid solar system. When the solar panel is creating extra electricity, instead of saving it in batteries, it is transferred to the grid. This runs back the meter and also compensates for the number of units the solar panels have transferred to the grid. This also helps in decreasing future electricity bills.
Pros and Cons of an On-grid Solar Systems
Now that we have a complete idea of an on-grid solar system, let’s have a look at its pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Net metering | Dependency on the grid |
| Lower installation cost compared to the other types | No electricity stored |
| No batteries required | Requires maintenance for proper working |
Also read: Solar Net Metering Tariff in Pakistan: New Update
Off-Grid Solar Systems
Just like its name suggests, an off-grid solar system is not connected to the main grid and is completely dependent on the solar panels. However, solar panels generate energy, send it to the inverters, transfer it to the appliances, and the rest is stored in the solar batteries. This stored electricity is utilized at times when the solar system is not working, such as at night or in the rainy season.
Also read: Solar Panel Price in Pakistan: The Ultimate Guide
What are Solar Batteries?
When opting for suitable solar batteries for your solar panel system, you need to know that they are entirely different from normal batteries. As normal batteries are designed for different devices, such as UPS, solar batteries are specifically designed for solar systems. They also have higher storage capacity, suitable for storing solar electricity. The following are some suitable solar batteries you need to know:
| Solar Batteries | Price |
| Osaka TA 3000 | Rs. 85,000 to Rs. 90,000. |
| Daewoo DIB 135 | Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 |
| Narada NPFC series 48V LiFePO | Rs. 340,000 to Rs. 350,000 |
Also read: Top Solar Batteries in Pakistan – Guide to Choose the Best
Pros and Cons of an Off-Grid Solar Systems
Consider the following pros and cons of an off-grid solar system:
| Pros | Cons |
| No dependency on the grid | High installation costs |
| Storage of excess electricity | Requires batteries |
| No backup energy other than the battery storage | |
| High maintenance of panels and batteries |
Hybrid Solar Systems
A hybrid solar system is a combination of both on-grid and off-grid solar systems. Similar to an on-grid system, it is connected to the main grid, and just like an off-grid system, it is also connected to the solar batteries for storing excess electricity.
When the solar panels absorb sunlight, the generated electricity is transferred to the appliances, charges the solar batteries, and the excess is transferred to the main grid via net metering. That’s why many people buy best solar panels and inverters for this type of system mostly.
Also read: How to Clean Solar Panels to Improve Their Performance
Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Solar Systems
A hybrid solar system has the following pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| No risk of power outage | Most expensive type of solar system |
| Net metering decreases the electricity bills | Complicated system – includes inverters, batteries, and a grid system |
| High maintenance |
Types of Solar Systems – What To Choose?
If you want to opt for a suitable solar panel system in Pakistan, have a look at the following table and see what meets your requirements:
| Features | On-Grid Solar System | Off-Grid Solar System | Hybrid Solar System |
| Energy Storage | No energy stored | Energy stored in batteries | Energy stored in batteries |
| Grid Dependency | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Cost | Low | More than an on-grid system | Highest |
| Maintainence | Requires less maintenance | More | More |
| Net Metering Benefit | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Backup Power | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
Also read: Guide to Buy the Right Solar Panel System for Your Home Now
Conclusion
To sum this up, there are three main types of solar systems available in the market: on-grid solar systems, off-grid solar systems, and hybrid solar systems. Each one of them has its pros and cons that you need to consider before making the decision. However, before you do so, make sure to set your budget and see what suits it. Other than this, you also need to consider the right solar panel angle to maximize their efficiency and focus on their proper maintenance.