Er B M Kohli
In the present times, Solar power is emerging as the suitable alternative to other sources of energy. To everybody’s guess, production of electricity and transportation only, contribute 60% for the pollution which is being pushed into the atmosphere. Alternatively, God has bestowed us with the Solar potential and its utilization for producing power energy has become order of the day in advance countries. India has also created a new ministry, a few years ago, by the name of Renewable energy to launch such projects. In the year 2010 JNNSM ( Jawaher Lal Nehru National Solar Mission) was also launched for climate change and its aim was to establish India as a global leader in Solar energy in three phases by 2022 ( ending 13th Plan) and achieving a target of 20,000MW solar energy capability. For those who are not aware of Solar energy, solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts light into electric current using radiant light and heat from sun harnessed using the photovoltaic effect. Solar technologies broadly characterized as Active Solar and Passive Solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Former includes the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Whereas passive technique include orienting a building ( related ) to the Sun and selecting the materials with favourable thermal mass and light dispersing properties. Surprisingly Earth receive 174 Peta watts (one peta watt= one billion million watts i.e. 1015 watts) of incoming solar radiation at any moment, of which 30 % is reflected back in to the space and rest is absorbed by earth and oceans etc. If there are no clouds in the way, then 1 sq. meter of earth receives 1 Kw of that instant energy. (In a rainy or cloudy day it may reduce up to 1/2 or 1/3rd ).
This way a roof top of 40 sq. meter will receive power output of 240 Kwh in 6 hours on sunny day, nearly 8 times a US home uses in entire day ( average consumption in a household in US is 30 Kwh per day). The average consumption in rural India is very less but varies from 1/3rd to half in big cities as compared to US and that too depending upon climate conditions. The rooftop solar panels have been used in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat connected with micro Grid and thus the surplus power is paid back to the householder @ of Rs. 3 per unit by the company managing the system. This all requires the net metering. Net metering is a billing system that allows those with the rooftop solar system on their houses to sell excess power that they generate back to their local power company. Solar power also has been harnessed by covering huge farms with photovoltaic cells and contributing power by connecting to grid. Gujarat has already formulated and commissioned some solar power projects ranging from 1 MW to 10 MW by covering estimated 9600 kms canal length and its branches particularly of Narmada canal. This way Gujarat has become the only state to have contributed more than 900 MW of Solar power out of 2600 MW in whole of the country. Solar power has also been tried in rural areas by creating micro grid which entails installing a small field of solar panels at a central location in remote village.
The panels generate solar power during day and store in batteries. In the night power is released to households connected for 7 to 8 hours and house holder pay Rs. 120 per month to run 2 light points, one fan and one mobile charging poin. This system has worked well successfully in areas where mobile has penetrated but power could not reach due to cost feasibility owing to longer distances. Now when the world is to find ways to move to cleaner supply source for moving toward better climatic conditions, rooftop solar generation has a bright future. This net metering policies has been adopted by 42 States and districts of Columbia many years ago and has found much acceptability around the world particularly in advanced countries. Eight lakh such units are reported to have been installed in North America by a company named “VIRINT” alone up to 2013. The idea that one day we all will be using free electricity from Sun and that too without creating any green house gases. The milestone can be achieved if the Govt. takes an extra ordinary interest and offer substantive subsidies. Currently conventional power is costing Rs.4.00 to 4.50 per unit and solar power costs Rs. 6.5 to 8 per unit due to the cost for installation of such units which is very high due to technology being in fancy state, but is bound to fall by 75 % or more by 2020 as indicated by experts and is to fall to Rs. 50 per watt for big farms and Rs. 70 per watt for homes from Rs. 200 and Rs. 280 at present respectively. Experts say that by 2026 the generation cost of both, conventional as well as solar will be at the same level. In India it may cost even less because people here are innovative ( Jugari) and will save further out of 35% cost estimated for its installation and erection of structures. This will be great step to create Green India and Clean India.
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