Solar Energy An – Awakening: A Documentary for Solar Energy Education in India
Abstract
In recent years, India’s energy consumption has been increasing at a relatively fast rate due to population growth and economic development. In the last six decades, India’s energy use has increased 16 times and the installed electricity capacity by 84 times. In 2008, India’s energy use was the fifth highest in the world. However, there is a considerable gap between demand and supply. The demand is likely to grow significantly further with a projected growth of economy at 8-9% per annum. This is a result of rapid urbanization and improving standards of living. As per the estimates made in the Integrated Energy Policy Report 2005, if the country were to progress on the path of sustained GDP growth during the next 25 years, it would imply quadrupling of its energy needs over 2003-04 levels. India therefore, needs a secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable option/s of energy resources. Along with energy conservation and energy-efficiency, renewable energy is fast emerging as a key option. Renewable Energy in general and Solar Energy in particular will play an important role in augmentation of grid power, providing energy access, reducing consumption of fossil fuels and helping India pursue its low carbon developmental pathway (MNRE, 2011). India is bestowed with a good sunshine. About 5,000 trillion kWh of Solar Energy is annually incident with most parts receiving 4-7 kWh/m2 per day. Solar thermal and solar photovoltaic technologies can therefore, effectively be harnessed on a massive scale. Recognizing this fact, Government of India has launched -Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission- a major national initiative for extensive implementation of solar technologies (MNRE, 2008).