Types of Solar Systems – Their Pros and Cons

 Solar panels are energy-efficient solutions for your home, offering multiple benefits. One of the important benefits that it offers is the reduction in high electricity bills. Considering this, a great number of people are getting solar panels installed in Pakistan. Furthermore, the 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 different 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 System

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. 

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 compensates for the number of units the solar panels have transferred to the grid. This helps in decreasing future electricity bills. 

Pros and Cons of an On-grid Solar System

Now that we have a complete idea of an on-grid solar system, let’s have a look at its pros and cons: 

Off-Grid Solar System

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. 

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 have higher storage capacity, suitable for storing solar electricity. The following are some suitable solar batteries you need to know: 

Pros and Cons of an Off-Grid Solar System

Consider the following pros and cons of an off-grid solar system:

Hybrid Solar System

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 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.

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Solar System

A hybrid solar system has the following pros and cons:

Types of Solar Panels – 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: 

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.