India’s geographical location of it being in tropical zone make it potent solar energy power house. As per Ministry of New and Renewable Energy or MNRE with about 300 clear and sunny days in a year, the calculated solar energy incidence on India’s land area is about 5000 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.
Solar Energy as an Alternative · Energy security: India energy demands are largely fulfilled by non-renewable source of energy. The scarcity of these fossil resources stresses the need for renewable energy sources. Abundance of solar energy can fulfill India clean energy demands. India is dependent on imports to fulfill its energy demands, thereby incurring huge expenditure and uncertainty with regards to energy security.
- Clean energy: India’s large part of energy demand is fulfilled by thermal energy largely dependent on fossil fuels. It also causes environment pollution. Solar energy is clean form of energy resource, which can be a substitute. Water used in the solar power plants for cleaning of solar panels is less than the water used in thermal power plants for various purposes such as steam generation, cooling purposes, washery, etc.
- Economic development: India being a developing economy needs proper electricity for industrial growth and agriculture. India also needs self-sufficiency and minimal cost in power generation, assured regular supply, which will boost industries and economy.
- Social development: The problem of power cuts and unavailability of electricity especially in rural area, leads to improper human development. Mostly energy demands are fulfilled by subsidized kerosene, leading to loss for exchequer.