Solar energy is regarded as the most sustainable renewable energy source globally. There is increased awareness about the same and people are showing great interest in adopting it for their homes and industries.
Housing society faces huge utility bills mainly for common services like lifts, water pumps, lighting in corridors, generators, etc. This creates a big hole in the resident’s pockets and can be easily addressed if these societies shift to solar energy.
- Solar panel for housing society can bring down the monthly share of maintenance costs of residents.
- Solar energy installations can improve sustainability and self-sufficiency in the long run, where you can utilize excess stored energy during outages.
Types of Solar Power Systems for Housing Society
Listed below are the types of solar power systems for housing societies:
On-grid Solar Power Systems
On-grid systems are the most popular type of solar power systems for housing societies. Here, the solar energy system is connected to the electricity distribution company, which is called the grid. Any excess energy generated during the day is sent back to the grid. This way, the housing societies also earn for the excess electricity sent to the grid, from the distributor company.
- They are highly cost-effective and suitable for all sizes of housing societies.
- Extra expenditure on battery storage equipment is not required.
- It is a low-maintenance system.
Off-grid Solar Power Systems
Off-grid systems work independently and are not connected to the public electricity grid. There is a provision for battery storage that stores extra electricity generated during the day.
- The use of storage leads to energy independence for housing societies.
- During power outages, the stored energy can be used to power the housing societies.
- This system brings a significant reduction in electricity bills.
Hybrid Solar Power Systems
Hybrid solar systems carry the features of both on-grid and off-grid solar power systems. They have a battery storage facility but are still connected to the electricity grid.
- Along with self-sufficiency, housing societies can benefit from net metering.
- It increases energy efficiency as stored energy is not disturbed unless a need arises.
- It helps to manage the peak load demand of the housing society.
Cost and Pricing for Housing Society Solar Panels
The cost of solar panels depends on factors such as:
- Size of the solar power system
- Quality of the panels chosen
- Whether backup is desired
- Number of inverters used if choosing battery storage
- Cost of inverters
- Monthly energy consumption
- Type of solar energy system: on-grid, off-grid, or hybrid
The cost associated with solar panel installation in housing societies is based on:
- The upfront solar panel cost varies according to the capacity of the plant. For example, a 100kW on-grid system costs around INR 50,00,000, and a hybrid model costs around INR 70,00,000.
- The cost of batteries used in the storage system.
- The cost of inverters is around INR 50,000 for 10kW capacity.
- Cost of electrical components used in the panels.
The Indian government under its central financial assistance scheme has announced that housing societies with solar panel capacity up to 500kW are eligible for subsidy.
Benefits of Solar Panels for Housing Societies
Housing association solar panels bring in huge benefits for the residents in terms of cost savings, and more.
- The energy cost of the whole society witnesses significant reduction, leading to individual cost savings.
- When the society uses an on-grid solar energy system, the excess energy can be transferred back to the grid, leading to revenue for the association.
- The housing society receives subsidies from the government for adopting solar energy.
- With long-term use, excess energy generated can lead to self-sufficiency for society and reduce dependence on the grid.
- It leads to sustainable living for the residents of the society.
- Property value appreciates over time as more people favour solar energy as the best option for environmental benefits.
Types of Housing Society that Can Benefit
All types of housing societies, small or large, can derive benefits from solar panels.
Solar Panels for Small Housing Societies
Solar Panels for Large Housing Society
- The size of the solar power system in large societies is huge, and they can opt for commercial or residential plans.
- It can bring about an incredible reduction in electricity charges for residents.
- When excess energy is generated, these societies can reduce their dependence on the grid and also receive subsidies.
Solar Panels for Residential Complexes
- Residential complexes are huge societies and consideration should be given to the main aim of setting the solar panels.
- It can be either for sharing common electricity consumption or for use as a backup during outages.
- Legal requirements have to be adhered to along with society’s regulations.
- Design, space allocation, scalability, and backup inverters are other factors to be considered.
Choosing the right solar power system for housing societies
Here are the factors to consider:
- Roof space plays a great role if you are planning a rooftop solution.
- Perform a feasibility study to find out if the on-grid, off-grid, or hybrid system is suitable for your society.
- Analyze the energy consumption per month to arrive at the right size of the solar system for your housing society.
- Permission from the society and legal permits to be obtained.
Freyr Energy Advantage for Housing Societies
Freyr Energy is one of the leading solar energy installers in India. With an expert team, we analyze the site and install solar power systems for housing society, thereby leading the way to mitigating carbon footprint in the environment.
We offer affordable solutions with zero-cost EMI facilities to enable a smooth shift to solar energy. Our solutions are scalable and flexible, to help housing societies achieve energy independence.
Over the years, we have helped reduce nearly 82,500 tons of Carbon emissions. Our end-to-end rooftop solutions are connected to the mobile app to help you track performance and energy savings in the long run.
Join us for a collaborative effort on the road to energy sustainability.