solar energy potential

India’s push toward leveraging its vast solar energy potential represents a critical strategy for accelerating the transition to net-zero emissions by 2070, as part of its long-term climate and energy goals. The need for data-driven assessments of solar energy potential is crucial for unlocking investments, fostering innovation, and addressing challenges that have historically impeded the country’s solar capacity expansion.

India’s Solar Energy Landscape

India’s Solar Energy Potential:

• India’s solar potential is massive, estimated to be around 10,830 GW, as per the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). This includes:

  • Ground-mounted solar on barren land: 4,909 GW.

  • Agri-PV (solar installed on agricultural land): 4,177 GW.

  • Rooftop solar in rural and urban areas: 960 GW.

  • Rail, road, and building-integrated PV: 684 GW.

  • Floating solar PV: 100 GW.

India ranks among the top countries with excellent solar conditions, with favorable irradiance and low seasonality, making it well-positioned to become a global solar leader.

Global Solar Comparison:

• Global Solar Atlas (GSA), developed by the World Bank, places India among the countries with the highest solar potential, comparable to regions like Namibia, Chile, Australia, and parts of the Middle East and North Africa. These areas boast solar conditions exceeding 4.5 kWh/kWp daily.

• Countries like China and the U.S. lead in installed capacity, but their average solar irradiance is lower than that of India.

Challenges Hindering Solar Energy Potential in India:

1. Outdated Estimates:

   • India’s official solar potential estimate of 748 GW was based on outdated 2010 wasteland data and 2011 census figures, with limited strategic planning. This has led to under-utilization of available solar resources.

2. Lack of Granular, Geospatial Data:

   • Detailed data on solar irradiance, land use, and proximity to infrastructure (like substations and roads) is scarce. This makes efficient planning and deployment difficult.

3. Land Use and Changing Patterns:

   • Urbanization, industrialization, and the diversion of agricultural land pose challenges for deploying large-scale solar farms.

4. Grid Integration and Infrastructure Gaps:

   • Transmission bottlenecks limit the ability to evacuate solar energy from generation sites to consumption hubs.

   • The absence of smart grids hampers the integration of solar power, especially with regard to energy storage.

5. Weak Domestic Manufacturing Ecosystem:

   • India’s reliance on imports, especially from China, for key components like polysilicon, wafers, and solar cells limits the growth of the domestic solar manufacturing sector.

   • There is also a need for more research and development (R&D) into high-efficiency modules and solar recycling technologies.

6. Rooftop Solar Barriers:

   • Net metering restrictions, bureaucratic delays, and inconsistent state policies discourage the adoption of rooftop solar.

   • High upfront costs and limited financing options further hinder small-scale adoption.

Key Efforts and Initiatives:

1. Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme:

   • Launched to boost domestic manufacturing of high-efficiency solar PV modules, reducing India’s dependency on imports and stimulating innovation.

2. Solar Park Scheme:

   • The government plans to establish 50 solar parks with a total capacity of ~38 GW by 2025-26, encouraging economies of scale and attracting investment.

3. PM-KUSUM Scheme:

   • Targets 30.8 GW of solar capacity by 2026, primarily focused on decentralized solar for agriculture. It promotes indigenous manufacturing and improves rural energy access.

4. PM Surya Ghar Scheme:

   • Aims to provide up to 300 units of free electricity per month to 1 crore households through rooftop solar, targeting 20 GW of capacity.

5. International Solar Alliance (ISA):

   • An India-led global initiative promoting solar deployment across developing countries, especially in Africa.

6. Grid and Storage Integration:

   • The Green Energy Corridor Project aims to enhance transmission infrastructure for renewable energy.

   • Smart grids and energy storage solutions are also being scaled up to address the intermittent nature of solar power.

7. Policy and Regulatory Support:

   • 100% FDI is allowed in solar projects under the automatic route.

   • The Green Open Access Rules and net-metering reforms encourage decentralized solar power.

Way Forward

1. Floating Solar PV (FSPV):

   • FSPV can address land scarcity and offer a unique solution by utilizing inland water surfaces like reservoirs and lakes. Estimates suggest 100 GW of potential in this area.

   • Mapping of water bodies, understanding evaporation losses, and local performance data will be key to realizing this potential.

2. Data-Driven Assessment and Granular Planning:

   • Modern assessments need to incorporate solar irradiance, land gradient, proximity to transmission infrastructure, and other factors like remote sensing data from ISRO, Global Solar Atlas, and NREL radiation data.

   • A more granular, data-rich approach can help identify optimal locations for solar deployment, ensuring efficient land and resource utilization.

3. Economic Implications of Data-Driven Assessment:

   • A robust, data-backed demand pipeline will create new green jobs and stimulate the solar panel recycling industry.

   • Attracting both domestic and foreign investments will help establish a self-sustaining solar manufacturing ecosystem.

   • Boosting ancillary industries like solar cell manufacturing and creating a circular economy in the solar sector will foster economic growth.

4. Smarter Land and Resource Planning:

   • Governments can allocate land, water, and transmission corridors more strategically to enhance the efficiency of solar deployment.

   • Shared infrastructure (such as roads and power lines) can enable economies of scale, making solar power more affordable and accessible.

5. Global Leadership and Strategic Vision:

   • With India’s leadership role in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and its vision for ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’, India can continue to drive the global solar transition.

   • Data-enabled planning will help set new benchmarks for solar potential assessment, making India a global clean energy superpower.

Conclusion:

India’s solar energy potential is immense, but unlocking it requires a data-driven reassessment of the available resources, smarter policy frameworks, and stronger domestic manufacturing ecosystems. By addressing the challenges and leveraging modern tools, India can accelerate its transition to net-zero emissions by 2070, establishing itself as a global leader in clean energy.