India is at a unique inflexion point in its energy trajectory given increasingly competitive solar power costs; the rosy notion of “solar tariffs dropping below grid parity” seems to be ‘much real’ this time. Currently the third-largest global energy consumer, India is plagued with problems in trying to grow its economy at a fast pace while also tending increasingly towards environmental factors and international climate commitments. India, however remote it may seem on the issue of climate change, is an important country to assume leadership in renewable energy and technology development. So there are indications that China hopes India will use more solar power.
India has a huge potential for solar power. Much of the country gets four to five hours a day of sunshine for about 300 clear sunny days, and except in densely forested or crowded urban areas, there is plenty of land available. The Government of India has realised the potential in this field and there are ambitious targets, to ensure cumulatively installation of 450 gigawatts (GW) renewable energy capacity by 2030, with solar playing a central role.
Solar power helps the acceleration of India. The road to success is long and packed with multiple risks but solar power can be garnished with a clean and renewable alternative to fossil fuels and is indeed a way to decrease air pollution and a tool for mitigating the effects of climate change. This is very important to a country with cities that have severe air quality problems, and it is a highly climate-vulnerable country to climate-related disasters as well.
In addition, by decreasing the countrys dependency on imported hydrocarbons, solar energy is vital to the improvement of Indias energy survival. This is not only lifting the countrys trade balance but also that the rise of green energy is protected from international oil price swings. Solar technology, on the other hand, is moving ahead and the cost is reducing henceforth it is now the most economic source of new area electrification in some areas of India.
The solar sector can easily pick up pace in terms of job creation and economic growth. Manufacturing solar panels and components for installation, maintenance, and research and development is the type of industry that could give rise to millions of highly skilled and semi-skilled workers. This corresponds perfectly with the demographic dividend of India and the need to create employment opportunities for the large young population of the country. Off-grid electrification is the other area that solar power can make a massive shift in. Off-grid and micro-grid solar solutions can be the quickest and cheapest way to get electricity to remote villages that cannot afford to extend the traditional power grid. This turning point into a life of reliability and safety is the beginning of rural development, which will step in to improve education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for no less than millions of Indians.
By overcoming the challenges, India will be able to reap the benefits of the solar opportunity to the maximum. All these challenges include the importance of developing strong domestic manufacturing capacity with a view of making solar equipment self-sufficient, modernizing the grid infrastructure so as to be able to incorporate renewable energy sources without disruption, and implementing supporting policies as well as providing financing mechanisms to speed up the adoption of solar. In this scenario, creativity will have the most important input in overcoming these obstacles. India has the capability to become a base for solar technology research and studies, thereby pushing breakthroughs in the likes of highly efficient solar cells, energy storage solutions, and smart grid technologies. By building a robust ecosystem of research institutions, start-ups, and industry collaborations, India can get into the forefront of the global solar energy revolution.
India has the aptitude to be a solar promoter on its way to its solar aims, as well as a solar ambassador on the world stage. Blazing its own trail towards sustainability through renewable energy sources, India will lead the way in motivating other developing nations to come along. Indias energy leadership can increase its geopolitical clout and thereby advance the international struggle against climate change. Therefore, in a nutshell, solar energy carries a tremendous chance for India to gain sustainable growth, boost energy security, provide jobs, and benefit its people with better lives. It is a chance that solar energy brings to India. Through the energy transition to a clean, renewable solution, India will be the torchbearer of a better and more sustainable future for itself and the rest of the world.
Article by Mr Vineet Mittal, Director and Co-founder of Navitas Solar.
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