SOLAR ENERGY SETTLING IN........

Not very long ago in an international study, India was ranked125 among 132 countries as one of the most populated places, only slightly better than Kuwait, Yemen, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iraq. It is an open secret that this is due to ever increasing population and subsequently growing energy needs. We have a population of over1.0 billion and will take over China as most populated state in a couple of decades. This again will translate in to more energy demand.

In past few years, government has been promoting renewable energy. Major thrust came in with the launch of JNNSM. To ensure that energy demand is met with increasing use of fossil fuel, government has encouraged investment in renewable energy mainly solar and rightly so as India is blessed with more than 300 bright sunny days throughout the year. Results of govt. efforts have been promising, mainly due to incentive policies, which in general got positive response. In 2010 we received $5.2 billion, whereas in 2011 by third quarter $7.2 billion had already came in and figures of fourth quarter are yet to come in.

As one of the officials put it, surge in installations is a clear indication that renewable energy is becoming cost competitive and scalable. This is further evident by the programs introduced by different states, Rajasthan is planning to have 10-12 GW by 2022, Tamil Nadu is investing to develop 10solar parks of 300 MW, and Gujarat has announced its plan for 1000 MW by 2012and another 3,000 MW in coming five years. This could just be what doctor would order for India’s energy demand and supply gap.

Even private sector investment is coming in heavily, in are cent announcement by US Export-Import bank, India would be the largest recipient of funds for renewable energy projects, to an extent of about $575million; in 2011 also bank had approved $1.4 billion of new projects. German state development bank also approved $334 million for 125 MW plant in Maharashtra. GMR energy commissioned a 25 MW plant in Gujarat, first one to be grid connected with 25 yrs of PPA.

However, a word of caution, the government has allowed thin film, this is not going to go down with local players also the development taking place should be monitored very keenly or else it may go haywire.

But still solar will come of age in India soonGreetings of the day,

It is very kind of you to spare a few words about my work solar energy has been my passion for quite some time now and my discussion topics on Linkedin, “Green Economy and the Role of Renewables in providing energy access for the Poor”, on facebook,“GREEN ENERGY for Empowering Rural India”and my blog are small efforts on my part to contribute for the cause, to create awareness and in the long run ensure that the benefit reaches the weakest section of the society.

It would be an honour and pleasure to be associated with your publication, as you might have gathered from these discussions, my focus has always been the rural/weaker part of society, I believe that people living in the remotest corners of the country are the ones who should be the true beneficiary of solar power. I’d like to write something in line with this thought and I feel that the topic you suggested “The future of National Solar Mission in India", can lay emphasis on the fact that unless we make the rural India self sustained in power, urban India cannot even think of being one.

Please let me know as to how should we proceed.

Best Regards

S.K.Singh

psen@carbon-outlook.com