Off-grid solar system and grid-connected solar system are both solar energy system that we can see in our life, but maybe some people who don’t use solar energy system know very little about them, let’s take a look at grid-connected solar system and off-grid solar system today.
1.1 On grid solar system: the main body of the photovoltaic original is usually used solar panels and grid-tied inverters, etc., connected to the grid. In the daytime, the solar panels are mainly used to power the home, and at night, they rely on the grid to supply electricity. The excess electricity is fed back to the grid company. Sometimes encounter rainy weather, or solar panels converted electricity is not enough for the family needs, still have to rely on the grid for power supply.
1.2 Off-grid solar systems: The main PV components used are: solar panels, off-grid inverters and solar battery. They are usually self-sufficient and do not rely on the grid. During the day, the solar panels are used to convert electricity to power the home, and at night or on cloudy or rainy days, the solar panels are used to store electricity to power the home. Since it does not depend on the grid, it has little effect when the grid is cut off.
2.1 Dependence on the grid: Since grid-connected solar systems are not equipped with solar battery, when the electricity produced by the solar panels runs out, they have to rely on the grid for power supply, and are more dependent on the grid; off-grid solar systems are equipped with a larger number of solar battery, so they store more electricity, and are less dependent on the grid.
2.2 Producing too much: When solar panels produce too much electricity, off-grid solar panels have solar battery that can store too much electricity. Grid-connected solar systems, because there are no solar battery, can only transport excess electricity through the inverter to the power company, and then through the power company’s net metering method to reduce the electricity bill.
2.3 Post-maintenance: Grid-connected solar systems are simple to maintain without solar battery; off-grid solar systems require more post-maintenance, and overall maintenance is not too complicated.
2.4 Total cost: Although off-grid solar system hardly needs to pay the electricity bill, it needs to buy a lot of solar panels and more solar battery in the early stage, which costs more than the grid-connected solar system. It is worth mentioning that some governments have adopted program tax credits, which can reduce some of the cost of purchasing solar system equipment for buyers.
Choosing a solar system is usually based on a number of factors: geographic location, budget, and energy independence.
Geographic location: People in cities, close to the grid, can have a wide choice of solar systems right away. However, those in remote mountain villages, which are not connected to the grid, will be better off with an off-grid solar system.
Budget: If the budget is limited for a short period of time and you cannot raise more money to buy an off-grid solar system, then you will prefer a grid-connected solar system.
Energy Independence: In areas where the power grid is often cut off, energy independence is especially important to ensure that you can use electricity normally, and this is where choosing an off-grid solar system can be a good way to meet your needs.
Both grid-tied and off-grid solar systems maximize the use of solar energy, which reduces the burning of fossil fuels. So whichever solar system you choose, it is not harmful to the environment.
