Grid Tied and Off-Grid Systems

What does it all mean?

GRID-TIED, GRID-INTERACTIVE ,GRID-TIE WITH BACKUP, OFF-GRID, HYBRID WIND/SOLAR Systems.

 GRID-TIED it means that (you are connected to and your power comes from the local power grid). You are buying your power from Central Public Service or from the local power companies.

A.      Grid-Tied Systems are connected to the local power grid, may also be generating their own power on site with renewable energy such as wind or solar. In this case, they may be using the solar or wind power only as a backup (GRID- TIED or grid connected but not grid- interactive). They are using grid power to recharge batteries after an outage but cannot send power back to the grid.

1.       Direct Grid-Tied Systems: This system is grid-tied system with renewable source of energy, a separate solar or/and wind charge controller and without batteries or backup capability.

2.       Grid-Tied Systems With Backup: This system is grid-tied system with renewable source of energy and there are batteries to store power, a separate solar and/or wind charge controller and/or a load controller on a micro system to make sure the batteries do not overcharge.

3.       Grid-Tied Systems With Backup With (Grid Interactive): This System have batteries to store power, a separate solar and/or wind charge controller and/or a load controller and may draw power from the grid or sell power back to the grid – Bi-directional power flow. This introduces (Net Metering). When the system have excess power being generated, The power system is selling the excess Kilowatt hours of electricity to the power company turning your meter backwards. 

B.      Off-Grid System: Off-grid is exactly that! Off-the- grid. Stand alone systems not connected to the grid. Usually off-grid installations are a product of necessity. Typically, the cost of bringing power to the site is very expensive and the alternative of generating power on site is necessary. With a large network of back roads traversing areas that have never had power lines installed, the availability of off-grid parcels of land is great. Off Grid systems require an inverter, batteries, Switchgear, monitoring, backup generator and a renewable power source. Off grid systems can be designed to run small camps or large homes.

C.      Hybrid Wind/Solar Systems: If more than one source of renewable energy is connected to the system, it is usually referred to as a HYBRID system. A hybrid system can be GRID INTERACTIVE or just GRID CONNECTED also it can be OFF-GRID system. Often, this type of system can be designed to accept all the sources of power with a common battery bank, inverter, controls, switch gear and battery monitoring.

International companies and organizations are at the forefront of green technology and know how. State of Green is our gateway to clean environment solutions from green energy to clean water and resource efficiency.

The cheapest and most environment-friendly form of energy is the one not used. Still, it is an indisputable fact that global demand for energy will increase across all sectors and industries.
Residential and commercial buildings account for almost a third of the global energy consumption.
Intelligent energy is all about managing energy more efficiently than ever before. Demand for energy keeps growing worldwide, and the use of it must become more sustainable. At the same time there is a growing need for an expansion and modernization of the existing energy infrastructure.
The sun, wind, waves and geothermal heat are energy sources that will never run out. They are perpetual, or self-renewing. Used in a cost-efficient way, they can contribute to securing energy supplies and smooth the transition to a fossil-free economy.Until today, most of the world’s energy supply has come from scarce resources like coal, oil and gas. In a future low-carbon economy, bio energy can play a significant role and contribute substantially to the global energy supply.
No matter how old or how new your home is, chances are it is costing you money. That’s because the building industry is using the same techniques for energy systems that were created at a time when fuel was abundant and cheap. But now that fuel is costly, it’s time to take a look at a permanent way to save money on our utility bills.

Solar/Photovoltaic Power

Most commercial PV cells are made from silicon, and come in three general types: monocrystalline, multicrystalline, and amorphous.

1.       Single crystal or Monocrystalline cells are made using silicon wafers cut from a single, cylindrical crystal of silicon. This type of PV cell is the most efficient, with approximately 15% efficiency (defined as the fraction of the sun’s energy that is converted to electrical power), but is also one of the most expensive to produce. 

2.       Multicrystalline or Polycrystalline silicon cells are made by casting molten silicon into ingots, which crystallize into a solid block of intergrown crystals. The size of the crystals is determined mostly by the rate at which the ingot is cooled, with larger grains made by slower cooling. Cells are then cut from the ingot. Multicrystalline cells are less expensive to produce than monocrystalline ones, due to the simpler manufacturing process and lower purity requirements for the starting material. However, they are slightly less efficient, with average efficiencies of around 12%.

3.       Amorphous silicon PV cells are made from a thin layer of noncrystalline silicon placed on a rigid or flexible substrate. They are relatively easy to manufacture and are less expensive than monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV, but are less efficient with efficiencies of around 6%. Their low cost makes them the best choice where high efficiency and space are not important.