Return on investment for solar power plant

If the NPV of a projects turns out to be negative then such a business may not opt for it at that time and wait for the right occasion. Rebates : This is just like a rebate you get with any other product. Increased utility electricity rates and lower equipment costs are making it easier and less expensive to for homeowners to own, rather than lease, their solar panel systems.

India Solar PV Advisor

Fog fast evolving solar PV industry in India presents significant opportunities to you. But you need a powerful guide that will help you benefit from this opportunity. The launch of the National Solar Mission has fod a big impetus to solar energy in India. The highlights of the mission are given below:. Target for the First Phase of the Mission. By Decembera total of MW of grid connected solar plants were awarded to 30 companies, each for 5 MW.

What is the average payback period for solar panels in the U.S.?

Solar power plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. How they work depends on the technology used. A solar power plant is any type of facility that converts sunlight either directly, like Photovoltaics, or indirectly, like Solar Thermal plants, into electricity. They come in a variety of ‘flavors’ with each using discretely different techniques to harness the power of the sun. Photovoltaic power plants use large areas of photovoltaic cells, known as PV or solar cells, to directly convert sunlight into usable electricity.

Solar payback periods summarized

Solar power plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. How they work depends on the technology used. A solar power plant is any type of facility that converts sunlight either directly, like Photovoltaics, or indirectly, like Solar Thermal plants, into electricity. They come in a variety of ‘flavors’ with each using discretely different techniques to harness the power of the sun. Photovoltaic power plants use large areas of photovoltaic cells, known as PV or solar cells, to directly convert sunlight into usable electricity.

These cells are usually made from silicon alloys and are the technology most people have become familiar with — chances are you may have one on your roof. They can be either monocrystalline or poly- or multi-crystalline. This type of panel is ideal for applications as flexible films over existing surfaces or for integration within building materials like roofing tiles. These types of plant generate electricity that is then, usually, directly fed into the national grid.

They tend to generate DC current with voltages up to v. Solar PV power plants work in the same manner as small domestic-scale PV panels or the tiny one on your calculator but on poer. Most solar PV panels are made from semiconductor materials, usually some form of silicon. When photons from sunlight hit the semiconductor material free electrons are generated which can then flow through the material to produce a direct electrical current. This is known as the photo-effect in physics.

The DC current then needs to be converted to alternating current AC using an inverter before it can be directly used or fed into the electrical grid. PV panels are distinct from other solar plqnt plants as they use the photo-effect directly without the need for so,ar processes or retjrn. For example, no liquid heat-carrying agent, like water, is needed as in solar thermal plants.

PV panels do not concentrate energy they simply convert photons into electricity that is then transmitted somewhere. Solar thermal power plants can also be subdivided into a further three distinct types:. Parabolic troughs use parabola-shaped reflectors that are able to focus between 30 and times normal sunlight levels on to the collector.

The method is used to heat a special type of fluid, plang is then collected at a central location to generate high-pressure, superheated steam. These systems tilt to keep track of the sun throughout the day. Because of their parabolic shape, these kinds of reflectors are able to focus between 30 and times the normal sunlight intensity on the collector. Today there are currently seven operating SEGS plants with a combined capacity of MW — this makes it one of the largest solar energy thermal electric power plants in the world.

These kinds of solar thermal power plant work by focussing sunlight from long parabolic mirrors onto receiver tubes that run the length of the mirror at their focal point. This concentrated solar energy heats up a fluid that continuously flows through the tubes.

This heated fluid is then sent to a heat exchanger to boil water in a conventional steam-turbine generator to generate electricity. Linear concentrating systems, sometimes called Fresnel reflectors, also consist of large ‘fields’ of sun-tracking mirrors that tend to be aligned in a north-south orientation to maximize sunlight capture. This setup allows the return on investment for solar power plant of mirrors to track the sun from east to west poweg the day.

Much like their parabolic mirror cousins, linear concentrating systems collect solar energy using long, rectangular, U-shaped mirrors. These types of systems use the Fresnel lens effect that allows for the use of a large concentrating mirror with a large aperture and short focal length. This setup allows these kinds of systems to focus sunlight approximately 30 times the normal intensity. Solar dishes also use mirrors to focus the suns energy onto a collector.

These tend to consist of oversized satellite dishes that are clad in a mosaic of small mirrors that focus energy onto a receiver at the focal point. Like the parabolic and linear systems, the dish-shaped, mirror clad, surface directs and concentrates sunlight onto a thermal receiver at the dish’s focal point. This receiver transfers the heat generated to an engine generator.

Heated fluid from the dishes receiver is used to move sollar in the engine to create mechanical power. This mechanical power then runs to a generator or alternator to generate electricity. A return on investment for solar power plant dish’s concentration ratio is much higher iinvestment linear concentrating systems, and it has a working fluid temperature higher than degrees Celsius.

Power generating equipment can either be directly mounted at the dish’s focal point great for remote locations or collected from an array of dishes and electrical generation occurring at a central point. The U. Army is developing a 1. Solar power towers are an interesting method in which hundreds to thousands of flat sun-tracking mirrors heliostats reflect and concentrate solar energy onto a central tower.

This zolar is able to concentrate sunlight as much as 1, times than would normally be possible from direct sunlight. One interesting example of this kind of power plant can be found in Juelich, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. The facility is spread over an area of 18, km squared that houses more than 2, heliostats that focus sunlight onto a central meter high tower. Department of Energy and other electric utility companies built and operated the first demonstration solar power tower near Barstow, Aolar, during the s and s.

Some are currently in development in Chile. Today, in the U. The pllant solar energy is used to heat the air in the fpr to up to degrees Celsius. The heat is captured in a boiler and is used to produce electricity with the help of a steam turbine. Some towers also make use of water as the heat-transfer fluid. More advanced systems are currently being researched and tested that will use nitrate salts because of their higher heat transfer and storage properties compared to water and air.

The thermal energy-storage capability allows the system to produce electricity during cloudy weather or at night. These kinds of solar power plants are ideally suited for operations in areas with adverse weather conditions. It uses a technique called salinity-gradient technology. This technique acts as a thermal trap within the pond that can either be used directly or stored for later use. Solar Ponds use a large body of saltwater to collect and store solar thermal energy.

Saltwater naturally forms a vertical salinity gradient, known as a halocline, with low-salinity water on the top and high-salinity water at the. Salt concentrations levels increase with depth and, therefore, density also increases from the surface to bottom of the lake until the solution becomes uniform at a given depth.

The principle is fairly simple. Solar rays penetrate the pond and eventually reach the bottom of the pool. In a normal pond or body of water, water at the bottom of the pond is heated, becomes less dense and rises setting up a convection current.

Solar ponds are designed to impede this process by adding salt to the water until the lower levels become completely saturated.

As the high-salinity water doesn’t mix easily with low-salinity water above it, convection currents are contained within each discrete layer and minimal mixing between them occurs.

This process concentrates thermal energy and reduces heat loss from the body of water. On average the high-salinity water can reach 90 degrees Celsius with low-salinity layers maintaining around 30 degrees Celsius. Photovoltaics Photovoltaic power plants use large areas of photovoltaic cells, known as PV or solar cells, to directly convert sunlight into usable electricity.

The panels themselves come retyrn various forms:. Sponsored Stories. Christopher McFadden. More at Interesting Engineering. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Stay on top of the latest engineering news.

Wish to succeed BIG as Solar EPC?

The following is a real-life scenario of a couple who decided to install solar panels on their own home in Massachusetts. The great thing about having solar panels and still being connected to the grid is return on investment for solar power plant local utility companies participate in something called net metering. But, like most things in life, after a while, we powr changes. The best ways to calculate the same are IRR and NPV because they cover the opportunity cost, inflation and risk factors. Seems like an easy decision onn me! More Posts. Tax Credits : Both state and federal governments offer tax incentives for installing solar energy systems. Thereby making your choice of the right solar vendor easier along with a proper evaluation of quality measures. How will you finance invsetment you decide on? Powered by Social Snap. Net Metering : This was mentioned earlier as the credits you receive from the utility company for feeding your unused energy into the grid. Enter your zip code to find out what typical solar installations cost in your neighborhood. But, the SRECs are available for nine more years after year one, and the savings solad net metering run the lifetime of your. What can your home support?