Solar glossary for installers in India
Short definitions of the terms that appear on solar quotations in India, from DCR and ALMM to net metering, GST heads, kW against kWp and payback. Each entry gives the meaning first, then one explanation, how the term shows up in the app, and the official source where a rule is involved.
Last updated
A
ALMM
ALMM is the ministry's approved list of solar module and cell models and manufacturers. See what List-I and List-II cover and where the list applies.
B
Bill of materials
A bill of materials lists each item, its specification and its quantity. See what a solar quotation's list should hold and how it changes by system type.
BOS
BOS, the balance of system, is everything in a solar installation except the modules. See what it includes and why a quotation prices it separately.
C
CGST, SGST and IGST
CGST, SGST and IGST are the heads of GST. See when a solar quotation splits tax into central and state parts and when it charges one IGST.
D
DCR
What DCR, the domestic content requirement, means for rooftop solar in India, which schemes ask for it, and how a quotation should describe a DCR module.
DISCOM
A DISCOM is the distribution company that supplies power in an area. See its role in net metering, inspection and subsidy for a rooftop solar system.
G
GSTIN and state code
A GSTIN is a fifteen-character GST registration number whose first two characters are the state code. See how the state code decides CGST, SGST or IGST.
H
HSN code
An HSN code classifies goods on a GST invoice. See what it stands for, how it differs from a SAC, and why a quotation should not print a tax rate with it.
Hybrid inverter
A hybrid inverter manages panels, a battery and the grid in one unit. See what it does, when it suits a site and how a quotation shows the battery.
K
kW vs kWp
kWp rates a solar array under standard test conditions, kW usually rates an inverter's output. Why the two differ and how to word a quotation.
M
MPPT
MPPT, maximum power point tracking, keeps a solar array at its peak operating point as sun and temperature change. See where it sits in an inverter.
N
Net metering
Net metering sets the power a solar system exports against the power the site imports and bills only the difference. How it works and who sets the terms.
O
On-grid, off-grid and hybrid
On-grid systems feed the utility, off-grid systems run on batteries alone, hybrid systems do both. See how the choice changes the bill of materials.
P
Payback period
Payback period is how long a solar system takes to earn back its net cost from the bills it avoids. See how it is worked out and what it leaves out.
Performance ratio
Performance ratio compares a solar plant's real output with its output at rated efficiency in the same sunlight. See what it counts and why it is under one.
PM Surya Ghar
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is the central residential rooftop solar scheme. See what it needs from the installer, the modules and the connection.
PM-KUSUM
PM-KUSUM is the ministry scheme for solar pumps and solar power for farmers. See its three components and how it appears in a pump quotation.
V
VFD
A VFD, or variable frequency drive, controls an AC motor's speed. See how it runs a solar pump straight from the panels without a battery.
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