Here are a Few Ways to Make Your Solar Installation Absolutely Safe & Secure

Safe And Secure Solar Installation

Solar energy is the future and a lot of homes are opting for it hoping to cut back on their electricity bills and receiving an uninterrupted power supply. But solar power installation must be done with a number of safety prerequisites in mind. The best solar company will take into account all factors like your building infrastructure like space or roofing and electrical connections before installation.

From the Electrical Point of View:

Before getting in touch with a solar energy company, track and keep a record of your monthly bills and the power drawn by your electrical appliances. You can do this using the energy calculator apps online. Usually, the monthly consumption in a typical urban household is 1-5 kW. Depending on your electricity needs, choose a solar power system of the right size. Standard solar panels have a 250 Wp (Watt peak) configuration, while larger panels can go up to 300 Wp depending upon the requirement.

Make sure the installer is connecting all the electrical wiring carefully and without leaving any glitches behind. A qualified engineer must supervise the process of routing the cables and it must be ensured that the cable is not damaged. Never touch the electrical wiring or contacts without proper protection gear or insulation.

The PV cells generate electricity by converting the sun’s energy, and the inverter converts the Direct Current (DC) from the panel into Alternating Current (AC). In case the components are “live” with electricity generated from the sun, they can cause an arc-flash electricity shock leading to severe injury or death. Make sure the system is properly earthed to prevent any such situations.

Make sure your solar power company is doing enough to protect your cables, say by using a flexible metal conduit when wiring through walls or if they are exposed to sun and rain outdoors.

Identify the Roof Structure, Type, and Material of the Roof:

Before you go for solar power installation, ensure that your roof offers ample space, has the right structure, and is made of robust material. Otherwise, mounting a heavy solar panel system can cause serious damage to your roof and accidental injuries to your family. Roof space is one of the primary factors to consider in metros, and is given the highest importance for instance by solar EPC companies in Mumbai.

The best roof for installing solar panels is a composite asphalt shingle roof. But by and large, solar panels are viable on most roof types except for wood shake roofs. The roof must ideally face south but in a country like India, as long as you have space for the panels, you’re good to go. Most places receive ample sunlight during the day irrespective of the direction of the roof.

When it comes to the ideal roof design for solar panels, the only rule is ‘simpler the better’. Roofs with lots of tiers, pipes, chimneys, and skylights can complicate the installation effort manifold.

If your roof is old or dilapidated, make sure you replace it before the installation. The old roof may not just be dangerous, it will cost double to dismount and then remount the panels when you eventually plan to replace it.

VEMC is a leading solar installation company. For solar panel installation in Mumbai, or for any information on solar power installation, feel free to get in touch at 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in.

Pump Energy Audit Leads to Substantial Savings

Pumps are an essential resource for several verticals such as the industrial sector, the hospitality sector, the agriculture sector, and the medical sector. As a result, they are extensively used in operations across industries. This also means that they consume a lot of energy to run efficiently. For example, in agriculture, groundwater pumping consumes about 16×109 kWh of electricity and about 2,000 million litres of diesel oil in a year. 

Pump energy audits reveal that around 30-50% of the total energy consumed from pumps can be saved. This means that if you replace your old pumps with new, efficient pumps, you can not only save energy but also significant energy costs. With rising energy prices, getting an energy audit done by professionals is a prerequisite. 

What is a pump energy audit? 

A pump audit is an energy optimisation audit of your pump system. It helps analyse the efficiency of your pump system and identifies energy-saving options through switching to a new pump or pump line. Additionally, it also illustrates the monetary benefits of the switch for your company. 

There are several reasons why your pumps can have lower efficiency:

  • Undersized pipes (less initial cost but high frictional head loss and operational cost)
  • High delivery point (excessive height increases energy consumption)
  • Poor fittings (leads to leakage and losses)
  • Inefficient pumps (due to improper selection and mismatched prime movers)

Benefits of a pump energy audit

Investing in an energy audit can be beneficial for your company as well as the environment. Here are the advantages of energy optimisation for your organisation: 

  • Reduced energy bills (up to 40%)
  • Lower operating costs
  • Low pump failure rates
  • Shorter payback periods
  • Reduced need for fuel imports
  • Conservation of insufficient resources
  • Building a sustainable environment

VEMC’s check parameters

With VEMC’s energy audit, you can unlock hidden savings from your pump installation and bring down pump operational costs. The three parameters of energy optimisation that VEMC aims to help your organisation achieve are energy consumption, service maintenance, and purchase price.

Steps to achieve energy efficiency by VEMC

To unlock the hidden savings, VEMC does an energy check that comprises the following aspects:

  • On-site inspection – A 3-4 hour survey of pump installations with a focus on key parameters such as age, head, and power consumption. 
  • Energy check report – The findings from the inspection are documented in an energy check report. The report offers details on pump installation, recommendations, savings, investment, and pay-back period.
  • Savings – In this step, the report is presented and recommendations are discussed, along with a plan of action. This happens in a 1-2 hour meeting. 

How to save pump energy?

The various ways you can achieve energy savings for your pumps are:

  • Choose a pump with the right dimensions and avoid oversizing
  • Trim the impellers to reduce pressure and flow
  • Investing in variable frequency drives to control motor movements as per situations
  • Use multiple pump systems
  • Optimise the system pipework to limit frictional pressure drop
  • Carry out routine maintenance for your pump systems

Why choose VEMC?

VEMC’s energy audit helps you understand whether your pump system is working efficiently or not and offers solutions to help reduce your carbon emissions and operating costs. This helps build a “No Cost and Low Cost” culture. 

For more information on conducting an energy audit for your industrial pumps, motors, and other equipment, feel free to contact us at +91 98199 07445. We would be glad to assist you in finding the best match for you based on your requirements. VEMC is an authorized dealer of Kirloskar dewatering pumps and provides end-to-end project management services to its clients. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services.

5 Reasons Why It Is Worth Investing In Solar For Companies

Solar power is becoming increasingly popular among companies in India. With the country becoming a proponent of solar energy globally, India’s total installed solar energy capacity has increased 19.3 times in the last 8 years. Many organisations are considering investing in solar energy and with good reason. For them, it’s a win-win situation. Energy costs make up for a large proportion of expenses for businesses, both big and small, and hence, cost-efficiency is always a critical goal. There is also the need to be socially responsible and include sustainability in brand ethos. Solar energy helps them meet most of these goals.

So, if you are considering making the switch to solar energy, it could be absolutely worth it.

5 reasons why solar energy is worth investing in

1. Reduced overhead expenses – Going the solar route can help companies save huge on energy costs. Since most of the things in a workspace, such as computers and electrical equipment, run on power, solar energy can help reduce dependency on erratic energy sources. The fluctuating prices of non-renewable fuels too will not affect you. You can let solar energy take over the majority of your existing energy sources. This way, you have more control over the quantity and cost of energy. 

2. Dependable power supply – Power outages are not uncommon in India and unreliable power supply can create interruptions in business. With solar power, you can expect a reliable and stable power supply. India’s total land area gets about 5,000 trillion kWh with most parts receiving around 4-7 kWh per sq. m. per day. Hence, with solar panels in place, you can generate sufficient solar energy to run your operations. 

3. Ease of maintenance – Installing solar panels in your workspaces can be an efficient and one-time investment. They are made from durable materials and can be long lasting. You can rely on expert solar panel EPC companies, such as VEMC, to help assess your energy requirements, check the available installation area, confirm the budget, and install the solar panels accordingly. 

4. Long-term savings – Solar energy helps save costs in the long run. You will need to make a one-time investment for the installation. Post that, you can start enjoying the returns on your investment. The maintenance costs are not exorbitant either. 

5. Sustainable and ideal for CSR – Investing in solar energy can help save the environment. You will be able to invest in a clean energy source, cause less pollution, and reduce your dependency on fossil fuels. Solar power also makes for a good investment to meet your corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. This can help you stand out to your customers and investors as a green company with low carbon footprint. 

VEMC is a well-established solar EPC company in Mumbai and a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services. VEMCO Solar is a market leader in solar solutions — be it solar panel installation, procurement, commissioning, net metering, or electrical connections. If you are looking for solar panel installation in Mumbai or solar O&M, please reach out to us at +91 98199 07445, and we will be happy to provide you with customized support and services.

Solar Success Story: The Installation of 200 kWp Plant at Godrej City

Navi Mumbai is a rapidly developing area, where new properties are being built. Godrej City is one such project by Godrej Properties. Located in Panvel, Navi Mumbai, it offers skillfully designed 1 BHK, 2 BHK, and 3 BHK apartments that are currently under construction. Godrej City consists of 568 units across 18 floors, spanning more than 3 towers over a total project area of 150 acres. Being a well-established solar energy company in Navi Mumbai, VEMC was consulted and hired to install a 200 kWp grid tied solar power plant at this location.

Challenge

Godrej City, being a booming residential estate, was seeing extremely high levels of electricity consumption. In fact, the annual average electricity production was 260000 kWh. VEMC’s solution sought to bring this down significantly and provide a greener, more sustainable and efficient source of energy.

We were met with the challenge of installing solar modules on “sandwich” roof profiles that don’t allow penetration of the sheet when anchoring the solar mounting arrangements. 

Further, this took place during monsoon and the COVID-19 pandemic. We were working at the site with our teams through this and all precautions had to be taken to ensure our safety. 

Our Solution

We took on the challenge and set about working out a solution. The project was a 200 kWp grid tied solar system. A grid-tied solar system is connected to the electrical power grid. The system relies on this grid to produce solar energy which can be used and funnels the excess energy to be used at a later time, or for net metering or clean energy credits.

The solar plant we successfully installed consists of 514 units of 390Wp high-efficiency Mono PERC modules. 

We solved the problem posed by the sandwich roof profiles by using high-strength industrial metal to metal adhesives to connect the mounting arrangement and roof.

The team was equipped with PPE kits and a thorough set of safety harnesses. This may have slowed them down but it protected everyone from both COVID-19 and other accidents.

Impact

The amount of carbon dioxide saved each year by avoiding fossil fuels to generate the same amount of energy is 184 metric tons! To get a clearer picture of the impact, this is equivalent to:

  • Greenhouse gas emissions from 40.1 passenger vehicles driven for one year and 463,075 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle
  • Carbon dioxide emissions from 20,733 gallons of gasoline consumed, 18,100 gallons of diesel consumed, 203,657 pounds of coal burned, and 2.4 tanker trucks’ worth of gasoline
  • Carbon sequestered by 3,047 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, 226 acres of forests in the USA for one year, and 1.3 acres of forests preserved from conversion to cropland in one year

The project expected payback is approximately 3 years, taking the maintenance expenses into consideration. VEMC is a well-established solar power plant company in India. With over 72 years of industry experience, VEMCO Solar was able to execute the Godrej City project successfully. VEMCO Solar is a market leader in solar solutions — be it solar plant erection, procurement, commissioning, net metering, or electrical connections. If you have any requirements in this space, please feel free to contact us at +91 98199 07445. We would be happy to help you out.

How Solar Panels Produce Electricity

Solar energy is one of the most promising sources of electricity owing to a number of inherent factors. Unlike conventional sources of energy like fossil fuels, solar radiation is abundantly received in most regions of the world. Electricity generation by solar requires little to no inputs of raw material and perfectly fits the bill for clean energy. But what is the science behind tapping solar energy? How exactly do solar panels produce electricity and how efficient is solar energy really? In this blog, we simplify the working principles behind solar electricity and elucidate your understanding of this magnificent fuel for the future.

Solar panels are made up of a number of Photovoltaic (PV) cells (named so because they convert solar energy into electric energy). The PV cells are made up of semiconductor materials such as silicon that absorb solar radiation and release a number of electrons, which then travel freely in the cell. To create an electric field when sunlight hits the panel, a positively and a negatively charged semiconductor is sandwiched together. The electric field directs the flow of the loose electrons towards the conductors lining the cell, which then flow through the wires as Direct Current (DC). 

The DC then reaches the inverter that converts it into the most commonly used Alternating Current (AC). Finally, a wire carries the AC from the inverter to an electric panel which acts as a junction for distributing the current throughout the building.

One PV cell typically generates two watts of electricity. However, when a large number of PV cells are connected together on a solar array (PV panel), hundreds or even thousands of kilowatts of electricity can be generated. A PV panel is made up of solar cells arranged in the configuration of 32, 36, 48, 60, 72, or 96 cells. The larger the assembly, the greater will the electricity produced be! The standard panel size for commercial use is 77 x 39 inches, while that for residential purposes is 65 x 39 inches. 

The energy efficiency of most PV panels ranges from 15% to 20% at present. This is affected by varying solar radiation received at different geographical locations. Sunlight also varies according to the time of the day and seasons of the year. Besides, obstruction, shade and unclean panels can also reduce production significantly.

The principle behind solar energy is quite simple. However, there’s still ample scope for advancements in order to boost production capacity and enhance efficiency. This demands generous funding in the field to promote research and innovation. For more information on various types of solar services, feel free to contact us on +91 98199 07445. We would be happy to assist you in finding the best match, based on your requirements. As one of India’s best solar companies having 73 years of market experience, VEMC provides end-to-end Solar EPC services to its clients. VEMC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services. Our sub-brand VEMCO Solar is one of the leading solar EPC companies — be it solar plant erection, procurement, commissioning, net metering, or electrical connections.