The words you will meet when planning a solar plant, from CAPEX and I&C to kWp and net metering.
A
Accelerated depreciation
A tax benefit that lets a business that owns a solar plant write off its cost faster than normal assets, reducing taxable income in the early years. Available under the CAPEX model.
ACDB / DCDB
AC and DC distribution boards: the enclosures that house the fuses, isolators and surge protection between the modules, the inverters and the grid connection.
ALMM
Approved List of Models and Manufacturers: the list of solar modules approved by India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for use in government-linked projects.
B
Balance of system (BOS)
Everything in a solar plant except the modules: mounting structures, inverters, cables, distribution boards, earthing, lightning protection and monitoring.
Bifacial module
A solar module that generates power from both sides, using light reflected from the ground onto its rear face.
C
CAPEX model
The owner pays for the solar plant upfront and owns it outright, keeping all the savings. Arrays Ingenieria builds plants on this model.
Commissioning
The final stage of a project: testing every component, synchronising the plant with the grid and handing it over as ready to generate.
CUF (capacity utilisation factor)
The energy a plant actually generates in a year as a percentage of what it would generate running at full capacity all year.
D
DCR (domestic content requirement)
A rule in some government schemes that modules and cells must be made in India.
DG synchronisation
Controls that let a solar plant run alongside diesel generators safely, reducing fuel use without back-feeding the generators.
E
Earthing
Connecting the plant's metal structures and electrical equipment to the ground so that fault currents and lightning are carried safely away.
EPC
Engineering, procurement and construction: a single contract covering the design, equipment purchase and building of the whole plant.
G
Grid-connected (on-grid) system
A solar plant connected to the utility grid, which can draw from or export to the grid; the most common type for businesses.
Ground-mount solar
Modules installed on structures fixed to the ground, typically on pile foundations; used for tea estates, industrial land and utility parks.
Group captive
An arrangement where consumers take an ownership stake in an off-site solar plant and draw its power under captive-generation rules.
I
I&C (installation & commissioning)
The on-site work of building a solar plant to an agreed design and bringing it into operation: structures, modules, cabling, inverters, earthing, testing and commissioning.
Inverter
The equipment that converts the direct current (DC) from the modules into alternating current (AC) for use on site or export to the grid.
K
kWp / MWp
Kilowatt-peak and megawatt-peak: the rated DC output of a solar plant under standard test conditions. 1 MWp = 1,000 kWp.
L
Lightning arrestor
A device that intercepts lightning strikes and conducts them safely to earth, protecting modules and equipment.
M
MMS (module mounting structure)
The steel or aluminium frame that holds the modules at the designed tilt and orientation.
Module cleaning system
A pipe network with taps or nozzles across the plant so that modules can be washed regularly, recovering output lost to dust (soiling).
N
Net metering
A billing arrangement where the power a solar plant exports to the grid is offset against the power drawn from it.
O
OPEX / RESCO model
A developer (a renewable energy service company) finances and owns the plant, and the site owner buys its power at an agreed tariff. Arrays Ingenieria works as I&C or EPC partner to such developers.
P
Performance ratio (PR)
Actual energy generated divided by the theoretical energy available from the sunlight; a measure of how well a plant is built and maintained.
Pile foundation
A steel or concrete pile driven or cast into the ground to anchor the module mounting structures of a ground-mount plant.
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
The central government scheme that subsidises rooftop solar for homes.
R
Rooftop solar
Modules installed on a building's RCC or metal-sheet roof, turning unused roof space into a power source.
S
SCADA / remote monitoring
Systems that record a plant's generation and faults in real time and make them visible remotely.
T
Tier-1 module
A module from a large, bankable manufacturer with an established production and financing track record.
TOPCon
Tunnel oxide passivated contact: a high-efficiency solar cell technology now common in new modules.
