FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

About Photovoltaic

Q: what does photovoltaic (PV) mean ?

A: the PV means electricity from the energy of sunlight.

Q : how does PV differ from other solar energy technologies ?

A : there are 4 types of solar energy technologies :

PV Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), which concentrate the sun’s energy using reflective

devices such as mirror panels to generate heat that will boil the water to rotate the steam turbine to generate electricity

Solar water heating, which transfer the sunlight to heat the water through metal conductor or solar cell that will electrify the heating element that will generate heat to water.

Solar walls, same as water heater, but the fluid is ventilated air for a building

Q : what are the components of a PV ?

A : a PV system is made up of several different components, such as PV cells called modules/panels, batteries, a charge controller and an inverter to alternate DC to AC, wiring, mounting the framework for autonomous electricity provider / consumer. When it’s connected to grid system, as a backup power, there is an additional component, called auto transfer switch (ATS)

Q : How long do PV systems last ?

A : a PV system that is well designed, installed and maintaned can operate for more than 20 years, except the batteries, that will last maximum for 2 years for the average batteries, and 5 years for high quality ones.

Q : why should I use renewable energy generated electricity instead of fossil fuel energy ?

A : particularly those who are environmentally aware, renewabl energy is a clear choice. Solar provides sustainable energy (depends on the climates of the region), operates silently, produce no toxic emission or hazardous waste, consider very less maintenance, compare to fossil fuel. There is another renewable energy that produce toxic emission / hazardous waste which is geothermal power, but with the latest technology, it can be mnimize, much lesser than fossil fuel.

Q : can i use PV energy to power my home ?

A : renewable energy can be used to power your entire home’s electricity system needs, such as lighting, cooling / heating systems, and home appliances.

Q : can i use PV energy to power my business ?

A : renewable energy system can be blended into virtually every conceivable structure for commercial building such as for outdoor security lighting, as well as in structures that serve as roof or wall for parking lot or bus shelter or train station, generating power at the same time. Architects can use building materials integrated PV that are environmentally responsive, aesthetically pleasing and also produce their own power, either as a additional power, backup power or as a main power. Building-integrated PV provides a dual-use building material, reduce renewable energy system installation costs by using the building as the mouting or support structure, and reduce utility bills for long term daily consumption, which consider as an long term investment.

Q : how much can I save by using a PV system ?

A : with the current condition in Indonesia, there is no way to say that you can save the money by reducing utility bills for short term, due to high cost for initial installation. But there are also some advantage for installing PV system to your home such as :

Independent from sudden black out from PLN Participating in green energy program For remote area, no need to wait from PLN to electrify the remote residential Can be used as alternate power adjacent to PLN power

Q : how do I know if I would have enough sunlight for my PV system ?

A : a solar energy systems needs unobstructed access to the sun’s rays for most or all of the day. There is enough sunlight to make solar energy systems useful and effective amost anywhere in the world, especially who those lies in the equatorial area, country which has a tropical climate. Indonesia is one of the example. Most homes have adequate roof space for a solar system, and this can be complemented by integrating the system into walls or by using modules to cover a car porch or canopy in the backyard.

Q : how big a PV system do I need ?

A : the size of solar system you need depends on several factors- such as how much electricity or hot water or cooling you use, how much sunshine is available where you are, the size of your roof or your land area, and how much you’re willing to invest.

Q : are there disadvantages to using solar energy ?

A : solar energy technologies always have a higher initial cost outlay. This means that a person is likely to pay more money up front to purchase and install a solar system. Still in nearly all cases, the high initial cost is recovered through substantial energy saving over the life of the product (15-30) years.