Significance of Solar Energy in India
India is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. With a population of around 1.3 billion people, fossil fuels continue to be insufficient to satisfy the growing energy needs of the country. There are also numerous other factors that make India suitable for the utilization of solar technologies. India’s geographical location also works to its benefit in this regard. India, lying fairly close to the equator, has a high exposure to the sun’s rays; therefore, it can be said to have high solar insolation. India receives solar radiation all throughout the year, which roughly amounts to 3000 h of sunshine that can be used to generate wattage of up to 5000 trillion kWh. This amount would be more than enough to satisfy all the energy needs of the country.
Another factor is that solar energy does not add to the already high pollution levels in the nation since it does not release carbon dioxide or CO2 (a primary pollutant) when it is transmitted. Projects such as the smart grid in Haryana and solar rooftops in Gujarat reveal that solar power is the way forward for India to progress from a developing country to a developed one. The analysis of the various technologies, materials, and scientific concepts used in these projects in India forms the focus areas of this article.
This story is from the January - June 2019 (Combined Issue) edition of Energy Future.
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This story is from the January - June 2019 (Combined Issue) edition of Energy Future.
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