Renewable Energy Sector Of India
- With its annual growth in renewables tripling from 2020 to 2021, India is expected to be the main contributor to the renewables boom. The Indian Prime Minister emphasised that his country has high expectations for the deployment of renewable energy over the next ten years, which are expected to result in $20 billion in annual economic prospects.
Renewable energy: what is it?
- In order to meet human needs, it is energy that is produced from resources that can easily replace themselves.
- Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, and other sustainable energy sources are some examples.
- If these resources are employed to generate electricity, the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere can be decreased.
What makes it significant to India?
decreased need for oil
- India unquestionably possesses a substantial supply of renewable resources.
- Traditional energy sources like gasoline and diesel aren’t available in India.
- India imports 84 percent of the oil it needs.
- India continually experiences uncertainty in the worldwide oil trade as a result of the Middle East’s turbulent international politics.
pollution reduction
- According to a 2019 study, seven of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world are located in India.
- Some studies claim that New Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital.
rural areas with access to electricity
- There are still many areas in India without electricity.
- Grid connectivity cannot be used to electrify inaccessible terrain or remote sites.
- The only option is to encourage electrification in these communities using renewable energy sources.
What steps has the government done to advance the field of renewable energy?
- India was the first nation in the world to establish the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, which is in charge of fostering the growth of renewable energy sources (MNRE).
- Coordinating the production of electricity from both traditional power plants and renewable sources is the goal of the Nation Green Corridor Program.
- The National Clean Energy Fund, which was established with money from the carbon tax, provides support for the investigation and development of cutting-edge environmentally friendly technology.
- Family-style biogas plants are encouraged to be developed by the government under the National Biogas and Manure Management Program (NBMMP), primarily for rural and semi-urban homes. Biodegradable wastes, such as garden and home wastes, as well as cow manure, are used to generate the energy.
How much of India’s potential for renewable energy has already been utilised?
- India is the world’s sixth-largest generator of renewable energy and the fifth-largest solar energy producer.
- However, India has not yet benefited from the low-cost advantages of renewable energy.
- Developing nations like China and Brazil have aided economic growth with accessible renewable energy.
- China is the world’s top producer of renewable energy, with Brazil coming in third, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
- Between 2014 and 2017, China grew renewable energy capacity by a factor of six, whereas India added less renewable energy capacity.
- India has only boosted its capacity by 14.3 GW, compared to China’s expansion of 105.5 GW.
What problems does switching to renewable energy create?
- High initial cost: Compared to the significantly higher starting costs of solar and wind energy, coal-based power plants only need to invest roughly Rs. 4 crores per MW. At a capacity utilisation of 25%, the cost of the wind-based power plant is Rs. 6 crores per MW. The initial cost is around Rs. 18 crore per MW for more effective capacity utilisation of 80%. An investment of Rs. 18 crores is required for solar power plants with a 15% capacity. Many people opt to invest in coal-based power facilities because of the high cost.
- Weather-dependent: The weather has an effect on solar, wind, tide, and other renewable energy sources. If the ideal weather isn’t there, it’s useless and impossible to use.
- Location: The majority of renewable energy projects need a sizable quantity of area. This raises the cost of the large land area and increases the difficulties involved in purchasing land. The cost and effectiveness of renewable energy were impacted by the distance between the source and the grid.
How to Continue:
- According to estimations, India has the ability to generate 900 GW of electricity from economically feasible sources such the sun, wind, and hydropower.
- The growth of this new sector needs substantial financial support.
- To protect the environment and provide a reliable energy supply for the next generation, governments must take all necessary steps to expand their investments in the creation of new clean energy sources.
- Bulk production can lower the cost of production.
- For instance, if solar panels are produced in huge quantities, the price will decrease.
- The cost of renewable technologies must be decreased by integrating the new technology with the current infrastructure.
