India’s location on the globe is so unique that it receives a tremendous amount of solar radiation that is equivalent to 5,000 trillion kilowatt hours per year, which is much more than India’s total consumption in the present times. It doesn’t take too much of human effort in the form of sourcing or procuring raw materials or constructing huge structures like dams to harness this simplest form of energy. Imagine an eco-friendly car running on Eco Friendly Tyres, being driven solely by solar energy without any toxic emissions. It may sound hypothetical, but there is a strong possibility that this might actually happen. Solar Power Plant is a onetime investment project that is self-driven and self-regulatory. Installation of ‘Solar Panels’ at appropriate locations is the key to harness larger magnitudes of electric power.
Majority of existing power plants in India are generating Hydro Electricity, Thermal Electricity or Nuclear-based Electricity. All these three forms of power generation mainly rely upon the availability of raw materials or renewability of natural resources. Conventional power generation units generally act as centralized units which distribute power through a vast network. A major portion of the power generated by these centralized power plants is lost on the account of ‘T and D’ losses that stands for ‘Transmission and Distribution Losses’. These “T&D” losses are as much as 50% of the total power that is generated at the centralized unit. This implies that only 250 MW, out of the total 500 MW (for example) that was generated, could be utilized. The conventional methods of Electric Power Generation require a lot of investment in terms of raising the infrastructure, maintenance, expansion and miscellaneous purposes.
Depending upon the energy requirement in the near future, it can be stated that Solar Energy will be the most preferred renewable energy resource during the time. Some of the high-altitude zones of India including the Himalayas, Western Ghats and Aravalli Range are the most ideal locations to place the solar panels. A Japanese scientist, named Kitaro Kawajiri of the Japan’s Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, has stated the photovoltaic cells used in solar panels collect more solar energy in the higher altitude zones in comparison to those placed at sea level. According to Kitaro, photovoltaic cells placed in the ‘Himalayas’ will produce 20% more energy compared to those placed in “Thar Desert” or other low-altitude high-temperature zones.
This new study suggests that the external temperature has got nothing to do when it comes to photovoltaic solar panels. The chemical composition of the photovoltaic cells is such that they are dependent upon direct and bright sunlight rather than high-temperature surroundings. Direct and bright sunlight is abundant in Himalaya region and other high-altitude zones of India. It will be a great achievement for India if power generation and its distribution can be localized in order to prevent huge energy and monetary losses. As far as the future of Solar Energy and Solar Power in India is concerned, the possibilities are great and the future is bright.