For the last 10 years, India has been a Solar Bliss to the World. As of 30th November 2022, India’s solar-producing generation is 61.966 Giga Watts (GW). There is a grand expectation that by 2026 it shall reach 100 Giga Watts (GW) of this renewable solar generation; however, the country has a stupendous task producing 500 Giga Watts (GW) of electricity through renewable energy, out of which solar energy would remain a critical component.
The Renewable Energy drive across India and the world is part of SDG 7 (Sustainable Developmental Goals), which exclusively states the importance of Energy Transition from fossil fuel technology towards making cleaner and more affordable more accessible to the earth’s population, especially the marginalized communities. According to the SDG Report, an estimated 3 billion people rely on polluted fuels and cooking technologies, making the renewable energy drive even more viable.
This now puts India on the pedestal of making it a hub for solar energy. This renewable resource can get substantial foreign revenue and, more so, create a surplus of exports that the country would need in its ever-growing economy.
Speaking to the Hindu, the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy Secretary stated, “We’ll need about 30-40 GW for our domestic purposes annually, and the rest can be used for export. The incentive schemes in place are designed to encourage the manufacturers of wafers. We have never had polysilicone manufacturing in India, and this is the first time we’ll make ingots and wafers in India. This is necessary for the future health of the solar ecosystem in India” (India Plans to Export Solar Power_ Official – The Hindu, n.d.).
India is blessed with a suitable Geographic location for harnessing Solar Energy and could make strides in being the solar capital of the World which would be a Solar bliss to the fossil fuel driven world.
Table of Contents:
Factors conducive to Solar Power Generation in India
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- Geographical Factors for India’s Solar Energy Growth
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- Concept of Solar Irradiance
India’s Giant Solar Leap
Factors conducive to Solar Power Generation in India
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- Geographical Factors for India’s Solar Energy Growth
India is present towards the sub-tropical and the tropical where the effect of Solar Irradiance is the highest. Due to its elongated peninsular area and geographic positioning, the country witnesses 300 clear sunny days in a year, with a calculated solar incidence of India’s land area to be about five quadrillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year (or 5 EWh/yr).It is for this reason why India is considered to be a Solar Bliss
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- Concept of Solar Irradiance
Solar irradiance is the power per unit area (surface power density) received from the Sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of the measuring instrument. In SI units, solar irradiance is measured in watts per square meter (W/m2).
Part of the radiation reaching an object is absorbed, and the remainder is reflected. Usually, the absorbed radiation is converted to thermal energy, increasing the object’s temperature. Artificial or natural systems, however, can convert part of the absorbed radiation into another form, such as electricity or chemical bonds, as in the case of photovoltaic cells or plants. The proportion of reflected radiation is the object’s reflectivity albedo).
India’s Giant Solar Leap
Within the last decade, India realized India’s Solar Energy Potential has leapfrogged by 70 times from 3.36 (TWh) towards 73.46 (TWh)
There have been close to about 121 stations. The National Institute of Wind Energy has installed radiation resource assessment (SRRA) stations at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to create a database of solar energy potential.
The daily power has reached a capacity of 0.30 kWh per m2 of used land area.
A Solar Potential Area – Gujarat
A state based on the tropic of Cancer, Gujarat is fast emerging as the heaven for solar power generation; as of March 2022, its total capacity was 7,180 MW. Gujarat strategically geographic presence along the tropical of cancer line is a solar bliss to the country.
