Sri Lanka is one of the most expensive energy markets in the world. The use of solar can significantly reduce or eliminate your electricity bill as well as ensure an uninterrupted power supply. The average payback on solar power in Sri Lanka is 5 years. After this payback period, you are earning money on your roof.
A Grid-Tied (On-grid) system is by far the most common type of residential PV system as well as the simplest and least expensive it connects to the electric utility Grid (CEB or LECO) and uses the grid for storage and backup of solar energy produced by the PV system. When the Solar Pv System Produces more power than the house uses the excess power is fed back to the grid turning the utility meter backward and you get credit Rs 37 for it When the house needs more power than the solar pv system provides especially at night the house can pull the power from the grid. Even if you use more power from the grid than the solar pv system provides the bill will be reduced due to the power produced from the solar pv system
Advantages of On-grid (Grid Tied) System
Advantages of grid-tied systems include simplicity low cost and low maintenance making them the obvious choice for homeowners already using utility power which is most homeowners.
The Ministry of Power and State Minister of Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development has launched a community based power generation project titled ‘Soorya Bala Sangramaya’ (Battle for Solar Energy) in collaboration with Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO) to promote the setting up of small solar power plants on the rooftops of households, religious places, hotels, commercial establishments and industries. It is expected to add 1000 MW of solar electricity to the national grid by 2025 and 1500 MW by 2030 through this intervention. Under this program, the consumers will have options to generate and use electricity in their premises. In case of electricity generated is more than their requirement, they can sell the excess to the national grid or bank it for later use. According to the electricity usage the customer can select a preferred option from the following three schemes: Net Metering, Net Accounting and Micro Solar Power Producer. The installation service should be obtained by a registered solar service provider.
Preventive Maintenance mainly consists of the cleaning of solar panels and the management of vegetation surrounding the panels. Even though rains clear off debris and dust to a certain extent, dust and particles collect on the solar panel limiting the amount of sunlight directly hitting your solar panel.
Upgrading your solar power system while staying within the FIT scheme is not only possible but also beneficial. By replacing older panels with more efficient ones, adding batteries, or increasing the number of panels, you can significantly boost your energy generation and savings