India, a rapidly growing economy with more than 1 billion people, is facing a huge energy demand. The country stands fifth in the world in the production and consumption of electricity. The electricity production has expanded over the years but we cannot deny the fact that the population of the country is also expanding. The power produced in the country is mostly from coal (53%) and it is predicted that country’s coal reserves won’t last beyond 2040-50. More than 72% population living in villages and half of the villages remain without electricity. It’s high time that our country should concentrate more on energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy. To meet this surging demand, solar energy is the best form of energy to fulfill the energy needs of India and bridge the energy demand-supply gap.

Solar Energy in India

India has tremendous scope of generating solar energy. The geographical location of the country stands to its benefit for generating solar energy. The reason being India is a tropical country and it receives solar radiation almost throughout the year, which amounts to 3,000 hours of sunshine. This is equal to more than 5,000 trillion kWh. Almost all parts of India receive 4-7 kWh of solar radiation per sq metres. This is equivalent to 2,300–3,200 sunshine hours per year. States like New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, and West Bengal have great potential for tapping solar energy due to their location. Since majority of the population lives in rural areas, there is much scope for solar energy being promoted in these areas. Use of solar energy can reduce the use of firewood and dung cakes by rural household.

Advantages of Solar Energy in India

Some of the advantages of solar energy which makes it all the more suitable for India are as follows:

• This is an inexhaustible source of energy and the best replacement to other non-renewable energies in India.
• Solar energy is environment friendly. When in use, it does not release CO2 and other gases which pollute the air. Hence it is very suitable for India, India being one of the most polluted countries of the world.
• Solar power is inexhaustible. In energy deficient country like India, where power generation is costly, solar energy is the best alternate means of power generation.
• You don’t need a power or gas grid to get solar energy. A solar energy system can be installed anywhere. Solar panels can be easily placed in houses. Hence, it is quite inexpensive compared to other sources of energy.