“Solar power is the last energy resource that isn’t owned yet – nobody taxes the sun yet.”
**Bonnie Rait**
India has an enormous potential to tap solar energy. From a recent survey, it has been found that the interest in renewable solutions has been increasing in the Indian market. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has stated that the renewable energy sector in India can be a major player in the global renewable energy market. It has the highest amount of potential compared to any other country in the world. India recently surpassed Italy to take the fifth global position in solar power deployment. Solar power capacity has more than doubled in the last five years, rising from 2.6 GW in March 2014 to 30 GW in July 2019. Solar tariffs in India are currently highly competitive and have reached grid parity. Most countries that have had the similar potential to India in the past have realized its potential and moved on. However, it all depends on the government and private companies in India to realize the potential of solar energy.
Rooftop solar energy is gaining rapid popularity among small businesses today, mainly due to the high electricity costs. The cost of installing a rooftop solar system is not as high as it sounds and the government is offering various subsidies to help you get a rooftop solar system for your business.
But here is the catch, solar rooftop installation involves a site study, system design, construction permits, and actual installation, as well as activation after a DISCOM survey, all of which might take three to four months to complete. Installing rooftop solar is a commitment that most people who move cities for career or school are unsure of. About 40 – 50 % of the cost of a solar installation is borne by the solar modules themselves. The remaining costs are for support systems such as mounting frames, inverters, and so on.
Whereas, Digital Solar is an alternative to traditional solar, where instead of going through the hassles of installing solar panels on rooftops to save up on power, users can reserve solar capacity on projects installed throughout multiple locations across India, and receive monthly credits (proportional to the capacity they have reserved) which can be used to reduce their current power bill.
It allows anybody to join regardless of their location, and it also allows for the expansion of capacity, unlike a hard installation that is constrained by the amount of roof space available.
These solar projects by SundayGrids are installed in large commercial spaces, resulting in lower prices due to economies of scale. The more reserve, the more trading power you generate and the more carbon emissions you assist to offset. All of this information is constantly at your fingertips, with your reserve and earnings being tracked in real-time.
Furthermore, the cost of rooftop solar maintenance during the system’s lifetime is around 20% of the initial investment. With digital solar projects, this expense is fully erased from the users’ perspective.
The closest analogue is cloud storage (Google Drive/ Dropbox, etc.) where you can use storage space on far away servers; similarly, with Digital Solar, you may subscribe to a section of a solar array somewhere and utilize offsets from it to save money on your electricity bill.
If you reside in an area where power outages are common, digital solar makes more sense because it is built in locations with excellent grid stability ratings. Even if the local grid goes down, the digital system still generates power credits because it is located outside of that zone.
With the escalating electricity costs, it is really imperative to reduce the electricity bills by opting for solar energy resources.
A lot of people are confused about whether installing solar panels on rooftops is a good idea or not.
Instead of installing panels, residents could reserve solar on the internet and attach it to their power account to receive offsets on their electricity bills, and it is available to customers in most parts of the country. This makes getting solar simple and quick, but more importantly, it allows everyone to participate in the energy shift.
One limitation of solar panels is that, as a surface phenomena, they require a lot of space to install reasonably usable capacity. This makes it difficult, especially for home users who may have limited access (and virtually none for those living in residential apartments). Digital Solar is a platform that, instead of placing panels directly on your roof, provides a straightforward and hassle-free alternative. You can save money on your power bill by connecting your reserved solar to your power utility account. This manner, you can avoid having to install a new roof while also lowering your energy expenditures with renewable energy.
