Frequently asked questions.

How is solar photovoltaic different from a thermal power plant?

A photovoltaic plant uses semiconductor solar cells soldered into modules (typically 230–300W each for commercial use) rather than heating water or steam. Modules are strung in series for voltage and connected in parallel for current. The resulting direct current (DC) is converted to alternating current (AC) by an inverter, then fed into the grid directly or stepped up through transformers as needed.

Where there's no local load, all the energy generated is sold to government utilities or third parties under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) — typically signed for 20–25 years, often at a fixed rate.

How much land does a solar plant need?

Ground-mounted: a 1MW plant needs roughly 4.5–5 acres for crystalline/CdTe/CIGS technology, or 6.5–7.5 acres for amorphous silicon thin-film — a rough benchmark that varies by technology and panel efficiency.

Rooftop: 1kW needs about 100 sq ft on a flat surface, or 75–85 sq ft if tilted, ideally facing south (best) or east-west (second best).

What's the lifetime of a typical solar plant?

Around 25 years — the duration most long-term PPAs and financial models are built around. Plants can run beyond that at reduced output; most panel manufacturers guarantee 90% output at 10 years and 80% at 25 years.

What would total project generation look like?

Most of India sees around 300 sunny days a year and 5–5.5 kWh/m²/day of solar radiation on a horizontal surface. With an optimum south-facing tilt (matching the site's latitude), that typically generates about 1,500 units per kW, or roughly 15 lakh units per MW annually — detailed engineering design refines the exact figure, usually modelled against NASA's 50+ year radiation and temperature data using tools like PVsyst.

What does a project cost, excluding land?

Costs are typically quoted per MW peak (MWp / MWDC), and depend on technology, whether tracking systems are used, site conditions, voltage of power evacuation, project scope, and the EPC contractor chosen. Land itself (barren) typically costs under ₹5–6 lakh per acre, and transmission lines run roughly ₹6–15 lakh per km depending on voltage and structure. Rooftop systems typically cost ₹40,000–60,000 per kW.

These figures move with policy and market conditions — get in touch for current benchmarks relevant to your project.

What's a lakh or a crore?

A lakh is 100,000 and a crore is 10 million — so 100 lakh equals 1 crore. India's numbering system groups digits a little differently from the West, a small quirk worth knowing when reading Indian project costs.