Progress in Clean Energy
India has achieved a significant milestone by having more than 50% of its installed electricity capacity based on non-fossil sources, reaching this goal five years ahead of schedule. The expansion of solar power, supported by domestic module manufacturing and strong policy support, has been a key driver of this transition.
Challenges in Solar Energy Sector
- Performance Monitoring:
- Despite an installed solar capacity of 129 gigawatts (Gw), there is no national framework to rate photovoltaic plant performance.
- Lack of standardized methods to measure the degradation of modules, assess operations and maintenance quality, or compute irradiance-adjusted output.
- This absence of benchmarks leads to tariff bids being disconnected from long-term performance risks and underperforming assets remain unnoticed.
- Grid-Level Constraints:
- Geographic concentration of solar generation leads to transmission capacity and energy storage issues.
- Currently, only about 5 Gw of storage is available against a projected need of 60 Gw by 2030.
- Recommendations by the parliamentary committee to improve the green-energy corridor and enhance intra-state transmission are crucial.
- Rooftop Solar Segment:
- Adoption under the PM Surya Ghar scheme remains below potential.
- Kerala's experience highlights the challenges of daytime surplus and night-time deficit stressing distribution companies.
Additional Challenges
- Land Acquisition:
- Requires four to seven acres per megawatt, translating to 1.4 million to 2 million hectares of land.
- Overlaps with agriculturally productive or ecologically sensitive areas pose challenges.
- Manufacturing Strategy:
- India needs to focus on supporting polysilicon, ingots and wafers, and solar glass to enhance supply-chain resilience.
Recommendations
The parliamentary committee emphasizes the importance of not just increasing solar capacity but ensuring efficient performance. A single-window clearance mechanism and closer coordination with states and project developers are essential to streamline processes and address bottlenecks.
