Solar Panel Star Ratings: Is it worth or just a gimmick?

Solar Module is not an energy consuming equipment rather its an energy generation device with Solar irradiance as input hence increase in efficiency means reduction in installation area. It will neither impact energy saving, cost saving for consumer nor carbon dioxide reduction.

What is Solar Module Star Rating ?

As per a report by PIB, the Government has come out with a Standards & Labelling Programme for solar panels. The programme, launched in New Delhi on, October 20, 2023, by the Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R. K. Singh, will make it easier for citizens to make an informed and judicious decision while purchasing and deploying solar photovoltaic modules, known commonly as solar panels. The star labelling scheme prepared by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for PV modules is from January 1, 2024 till December 31, 2025. For this period, there shall be no labelling fee as well.

What is BEE’s S&L Program ?

The objective of BEE’s S&L program is to help consumers make an informed choice about various energy-consuming appliances, in terms of energy savings, that would result based on each appliance’s energy efficiency performance. This scheme also helps the consumer determine the cost-saving potential of the marketed household and other equipment.

Why it’s not applicable for Solar modules ?

The star label is basically for energy efficieny of an electrical appliance which consumes electricity. Hence, star labelling provide information about energy saving and thereby the cost-saving potential of the relevant marketed appliance. However, Solar module is neither an electrical equipment which consumes electricity nor there will be cost impact while going fromlow star label (Polysilicon Modules) to high rating (Mono Perc or TopCon Modules). Solar modules is not energy consuming equipment which can save electricity rather its an energy generating equipment.

Efficiency (%) = (Input/Output)X100

In case of electrical equipments, input is electricty, & other form of energy like mechanical, thermal etc is putput, while in case of solar modules, solar irradiance is input and electricty is output.

Presenatation by BEE is not practical & needs correction

As per the above slide from BEE's presentation,

• 1 KWp solar project needs 10Sqm roof area and will generate electriccity of 3570 units annually with modules of 17% efficiency which is totally wrong. 1 KWp project can only genrate somewhere around 1500- 1600 units.
• 1 KWp solar project with higher efficieny module will generate more electricity and with increase in efficiency by around 6%, the electricity generation could increase by 35% which means 1 KWp project with modules of 23% efficiency can generate power upto 4830 units per annum, which is not the fact.
• In both the cases, 1 KWp project will generate approx same amount of electricity ( only minute variation based on module technology), and there will be only saving of space, which will increase in proporation of increase in efficiency of module.