Review: Vikram Solar Panels Analysis - 2021

Vikram Solar is India's leading tier 1 solar panel manufacturer that produces high quality mono-crystalline and poly-crystalline solar panels at its production facility near Kolkata.

Its solar panels are:

• Efficient
• Have positive power tolerance
• Great performance even under shade
• long Product and Performance warranties
• Less degradation

Let's discuss Vikram Solar Panels in detail:

---

Range of Solar Modules

---

Range of Solar Modules:

1) Mono-facial & Mono-crystalline: Solar panels whose one side are used for collecting sunlight. In mono-crystalline, the solar panels have solar cells made from single crystal of silicon cell.

These panels generally have higher efficiencies.

2) Poly-crystalline: The solar panels have cells made from the fragments of the silicon crystals. These panels have lower efficiencies but have lower price.
​
3) Bi-facial: Solar panels whose both sides front and the back absorb sunlight and generate electricity.

1) Mono-facial category

In Mono-facial category, it has 2 range:

• Somera Series 6 (MBB Module with M6 cell)
• Somera Series (5BB Module with G1 cell)

​
In SOMERA Series 6, it has 2 types of solar modules:
​
One is 144 cell (72 cells cut into 2-halves) and another is 156 cell (78 cells cut into 2 halves) solar modules.

The benefit of cutting the cells into 2-halves is that it gives higher yield by lowering the cell resistance.

These are MBB (Multi Bus Bar) modules. MBBs are used to connect the solar cells together. 

Also, 

these multi bars reduce the total series resistance of the interconnected solar cells.

All this results in higher power output.

Let us compare SOMERA Series 6 Solar Modules:

Parameters




​i) Technology


ii) No. of half cut cells
​
iii) Power output (watts)

iv) Maximum Efficiency (%)

v) Positive Power Tolerance

vi) Temperature coefficient of Power

​vii) Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT)

viii) Temperature Range

ix) Weight

x) Mechanical Load Test

xi) Product Warranty

xi) Performance Warranty

Somera Series 6-144 (MBB Module with M6 cell): Datasheet

Mono-facial and Mono-crystalline

144 half cut cells


​435 - 465 watts


​20.91%


0 to +4.99


-0.35%/°C


​
​45°C +- 2°C




​-40 °C to +85°C


25.3 kg

5400 Pa (Snow load)
2400 Pa (Wind load)

​10 years


Linear warranty of 27 years with 3% in the first year and thereafter at the rate of 0.65% till 27th year

Somera Series 6-156 (MBB Module with M6 cell): Datasheet

Mono-facial and Mono-crystalline

​156 half cut cells


​475 - 505 watts

​
​21.02%


0 to +4.99


-0.35%/°C



​​​45°C +- 2°C




​​-40 °C to +85°C


​26.9 kg​

5400 Pa (Snow load)
2400 Pa (Wind load)

​10 years


​Linear warranty of 27 years with 3% in the first year and thereafter at the rate of 0.65% till 27th year

Let's see the performance of 500 watts SOMERA Series 6 solar panel under following parameters:

In column A, you can see the useful life of the SOMERA Series 6 solar panels (27 years)

The column B refers to the degradation rate of the panel from 1 to 27 years.

Column C calculates the degraded power output (under STC when the cell temperature is 25 degree Celsius) of the panel in that corresponding years.

Let's see the calculation:
i) The first year degradation rate is 3% of its capacity.

ii) Therefore, the 500 watts solar panel will produce 500 x (1-3%)
=500 x (1 - 0.03)
= 500 x (0.97)
= 485 watts in the first year

iii) The degradation rate in the second year is 0.65% of first year's power output: 
= 485 x (1-0.65%)
= 485 x (1 - 0.0065)
= 485 x (0.9935)
= 481.85 watts or 482 watts

In similar fashion, the power is degradation till 27th year.

Now, let's calculate the power output under NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell temperature when the cell temperature is 45 degree Celsius)

It is calculated as follows:

a) Temperature difference: 45°C - 25°C = 20°C
b) Power Temperature coefficient: -0.35%/°C 
c) % Loss in the power = 20°C x -0.35%/°C = 7%
d) Output power under NOCT in the first year
= 485 watts x (1-7%)
= 485 watts x (1-0.07)
= 485 watts x (0.93)
= 451 watts

"If you're living in a hot climate, choose the panel with lower values of NOCT and lower temperature coefficient of power."

• Somera Series (5BB Module with G1 cell)

This series has following panels:

• SOMERA Grand Ultima Plus (144 cell): Datasheet
• SOMERA Grand (72 cell): Datasheet
• SOMERA Prime (60 cell): Datasheet

You can see that the temperature coefficient of power is the lowest (-0.34%/°C) in the case of SOMERA GRAND ULTIMA PLUS amongst the three.

In simple words, the power loss due to per degree increase in the temperature would be the least in SOMERA GRAND ULTIMA PLUS.

If you're living in a hotter climate then SOMERA GRAND ULTIMA PLUS should be your choice amongst the three.

2) Poly-crystalline Category

ELDORA SERIES

In the above chart, ELDORA GRAND PLUS and ELDORA GRAND have less Nominal Operating Cell Temperature of 44°C +- 2°C.

It means that under nominal conditions when the air temperature is 20°C, air velocity is 1 m/s and solar radiation is 800 w/m^2, the cell temperature would be 44°C.

It means that power loss in ELDORA GRAND PLUS and ELDORA GRAND are less when compared to the ELDORA PRIME in the same category.

---

Comparison: SOMERA vs ELDORA

---

Output Power Performance:

Let's compare the output power of the best panel of SOMERA Series with the best one of ELDORA Series.

The following chart shows the degradation rates and values of the 2 panels of the above series.

The output power of ELDORA series in the 27th year has reduced to 82.3% of the rated capacity 

while 

the power output of SOMERA Series panel will be 81.9% of the rated capacity.

We can say that the output power of ELDORA Series panel is slightly better than that the panel of SOMERA Series.

Power Loss:

You can see in the table below that one has better temperature coefficient of power while another has improved NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell Temperature).

But after combining the both the parameters of each panel,

SOMERA GRAND ULTIMA PLUS has less power loss (-6.8%) than that of ELDORA GRAND PLUS panel (-7.22%).

---

Conclusion

---

Both series have their own advantages. 

The selection depends on your budget, space, location and energy requirements.

If you live in a hotter climate with no space constraints but limited budget then ELDORA Series panels are more profitable

while

SOMERA Series efficient panels work great in limited space but are costlier.

---

Related Articles:

---

• Why the efficiency of the solar panels limited?
  
• How to estimate your solar energy needs?
  
• Best Solar Batteries in 2021 (Review and Buying Guide)