Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 29 views

    India's Solar Power Dream

    Uploaded by

    Mohit c
    India has set ambitious targets to expand renewable energy capacity and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. The country is heavily pushing solar power to transition to a greener future and has committed to sourcing 60% of its renewable energy from solar by 2030. However, solar power development faces challenges like high upfront costs, limited financing access, and land availability issues. The government is promoting various initiatives and schemes to encourage solar power adoption and achieve India's solar power goals.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    India's Solar Power Dream

    Uploaded by

    Mohit c
    29 views7 pages
    India has set ambitious targets to expand renewable energy capacity and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. The country is heavily pushing solar power to transition to a greener future and has committed to sourcing 60% of its renewable energy from solar by 2030. However, solar power development faces challenges like high upfront costs, limited financing access, and land availability issues. The government is promoting various initiatives and schemes to encourage solar power adoption and achieve India's solar power goals.

    Original Title

    India’s Solar Power Dream

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    India has set ambitious targets to expand renewable energy capacity and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. The country is heavily pushing solar power to transition to a greener future and has committed to sourcing 60% of its renewable energy from solar by 2030. However, solar power development faces challenges like high upfront costs, limited financing access, and land availability issues. The government is promoting various initiatives and schemes to encourage solar power adoption and achieve India's solar power goals.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    29 views7 pages

    India's Solar Power Dream

    Uploaded by

    Mohit c
    India has set ambitious targets to expand renewable energy capacity and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. The country is heavily pushing solar power to transition to a greener future and has committed to sourcing 60% of its renewable energy from solar by 2030. However, solar power development faces challenges like high upfront costs, limited financing access, and land availability issues. The government is promoting various initiatives and schemes to encourage solar power adoption and achieve India's solar power goals.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 7

    India’s Solar Power Dream

    India has been aggressively pushing towards a more sustainable


    future by investing heavily in renewable energy sources, with
    solar energy at the forefront of its efforts. The Government of India
    has set the target to expand India’s renewable energy installed
    capacity to 500 GW by 2030. India has promised to source nearly
    half its energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 and, in the
    shorter term, source at least 60% of its renewable energy from
    solar power.

    India is committed to reducing the country's dependence on fossil


    fuels and transitioning towards a greener future, and the growth of
    the solar sector plays a crucial role in achieving this goal.

    India is pushing towards renewable energy due to government’s


    support for the transition. The recognition that solar energy is a
    free and abundant resource also plays a role. But there are some
    misconception regarding Solar energy which we need to consider
    first.

    What are the Misconceptions about Solar Energy?


    ▪ Levelized Cost of Solar Power is Coming Down:
    o It is believed that the levelized cost of solar
    power coming down and some believe that the
    cost will decrease linearly over time, that the
    cost is the same for all regions, that the cost
    only takes into account the cost of solar panels,
    that it doesn't include maintenance costs, and
    that it ignores energy storage costs.
    o In reality, the cost can be affected by various
    factors such as technology advancements,
    changes in market conditions, and government
    policies, and the levelized cost takes into
    account all components of a solar power
    system including installation and ongoing
    maintenance costs, not just the cost of solar
    panels.
    ▪ Financially Viable:
    o Solar energy is made financially viable by
    misguiding the people by leaving out storage
    battery cost; handicapping it with subsidies and
    concessions that are front loaded by the
    government, and forcing it on the industry and
    hapless discoms through state policy.
    What are the Benefits of Solar Energy?
    ▪ Renewable:
    o Solar energy is a renewable source of energy,
    meaning it can be produced indefinitely without
    depleting resources.
    ▪ Clean:
    o Solar energy is a clean source of energy,
    producing no harmful emissions or pollution.
    ▪ Cost-effective:
    o The cost of solar energy has decreased
    significantly in recent years, making it
    increasingly cost-effective as a source of
    energy.
    ▪ Reliable:

    2
    o Solar energy systems are becoming increasingly
    reliable and durable, requiring little
    maintenance.
    ▪ Versatile:
    o Solar energy can be used for a wide range of
    applications, including electricity generation,
    heating, and lighting.
    ▪ Decentralized:
    o Solar energy systems can be installed on a
    small scale, making it possible to generate
    energy locally, reducing dependence on
    centralized energy sources.
    What are the Challenges with Solar Energy in India?
    ▪ High Initial Costs:
    o Despite recent reductions in the cost of solar
    panel technology, the upfront cost of
    installation remains high, which can be a barrier
    to adoption for many households and
    businesses.
    ▪ Limited Access to Finance:
    o Access to finance for renewable energy projects
    can be limited, particularly for smaller and rural
    projects, which can make it challenging for
    individuals and organizations to invest in solar
    energy.
    ▪ Infrastructure and Grid Connectivity:
    o A lack of adequate infrastructure and grid
    connectivity in some areas of the country can
    make it difficult to transmit the electricity

    3
    generated from solar panels to where it is
    needed.
    ▪ Land Availability:
    o Finding suitable land for large-scale solar
    projects can be a challenge in India, particularly
    given competing demands for land for other
    purposes such as agriculture and urban
    development.
    ▪ Maintenance and Operation Issues:
    o Poor maintenance and operation of solar power
    systems can reduce their efficiency and
    effectiveness, which can impact the long-term
    viability of renewable energy projects in India.
    o Cleaning solar panels currently is estimated to
    use about 10 billion gallons of water per year —
    enough to supply drinking water for up to 2
    million people.
    • Attempts at waterless cleaning are
    labor intensive and tend to cause
    irreversible scratching of the surfaces,
    which also reduces efficiency.
    • Now, a team of researchers at MIT has
    devised a way of automatically
    cleaning solar panels, or the mirrors of
    solar thermal plants, in a waterless, no-
    contact system that could significantly
    reduce the dust problem.

    4
    What are the Related Initiatives?
    ▪ Solar Park Scheme: The Solar Park Scheme plans to
    build a number of solar parks, each with a capacity of
    nearly 500 MW, across several states.
    ▪ Rooftop Solar Scheme: The Rooftop Solar Scheme aims
    to harness solar power by installing solar panels on the
    roof of houses.
    ▪ National Solar Mission: It is a major initiative of the
    Government of India and State Governments to promote
    ecologically sustainable growth while addressing India's
    energy security challenge.
    ▪ SRISTI Scheme: Sustainable rooftop implementation of
    Solar transfiguration of India (SRISTI) scheme to
    promote rooftop solar power projects in India.
    ▪ International Solar Alliance: International Solar
    Alliance is an action-oriented, member-driven,
    collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar
    energy technologies.
    ▪ Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-
    KUSUM): The PM-KUSUM scheme was launched by the
    Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to
    support installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas
    and reduce dependence on grid, in grid-connected areas.

    What should be the Way Forward?


    ▪ Utilising Large Hydro:

    5
    o With large hydro, India can produce more
    renewable energy at the least cost and with the
    least carbon footprint.
    • India has utilised only about 15% of its
    hydro potential whereas the U.S. and
    Europe have utilised 90% and 98% of
    their potential, respectively.
    • The extent of utilisation of hydro
    potential seems to be an index of
    civilisational development and
    evolution.
    ▪ Expanding Infrastructure and Investment:
    o India needs to increase investment in
    renewable energy infrastructure, including
    transmission and distribution networks, as well
    as in research and development of new solar
    technologies.
    ▪ Encouraging Private Sector Participation:
    o The private sector can play a crucial role in
    developing and deploying solar energy in
    India, and the government should create
    favorable policies and incentives to encourage
    private sector involvement.
    ▪ Improving Energy Storage Solutions:
    o Energy storage systems are essential for
    ensuring that solar energy can be effectively
    used, even when the sun is not shining. The
    Indian government should support the
    development of advanced energy storage
    solutions to make solar energy more accessible
    and reliable.

    6
    ▪ Promoting Rooftop Solar:
    o Rooftop solar systems can be a cost-effective and
    convenient way for households and businesses to
    generate their own energy. The Indian government
    should encourage the growth of rooftop solar by
    providing incentives, subsidies and tax credits.
    ▪ Building a Skilled Workforce:
    o The growth of the solar energy sector in India will
    require a skilled workforce. The government should
    invest in training and education programs to build a
    pipeline of skilled workers who can help deploy and
    maintain solar energy systems.

    CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY TELEGRAM CHANNEL


    🙂 👇🏻👇👇👇 🙂
    The Hindu Editorial Analysis
    (@the_hindu_editorial_newspaper)

    You might also like