Sunrise for sustainability

Among the foremost Mitigation measures would be those in the Energy and Power sector: more specifically, a move away from coal power. Within the Energy and Power sector, some of the areas that have seen a lot of traction and where the pace would need to be maintained are Solar Power, Wind Power, Nuclear Power. Areas where the potential is yet to be reached are Wave & Tidal Power, Geothermal Power, Energy Storage, Microgrids and Grid Flexibility. Some other areas which have a lot of potential are: Biomass Power, Cogeneration and Power from Waste. In this article, we will focus on solar power, with other Mitigation measures being taken up in the coming articles. It may also be noted that these measures are focused on avoiding emissions; once these have been covered, we will discuss measures that remove Carbon Dioxide from the air.

Solar power

Solar Power holds a lot of promise in the fight against climate change. In addition to not emitting any greenhouse gases, it has also become cost effective, having achieved price parity with thermal power (from Coal, Gas and Oil). Given that almost 75% of greenhouse gases originate from the burning of fossil fuels, solar power holds the key to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Solar power also has the added advantage of being a decentralized generation system, with far more flexibility than power generation plants that run on coal or gas.

Solar power will play a major role in reaching the net zero commitments of all major countries. It is no surprise that all the major economies are so bullish on solar power. For example, China added 100 GW, EU 38 GW, India 18GW and Brazil 11 GW to their solar capacity in 2022. The US has also thrown a lot of subsidies at Solar Power through its Inflation Reduction Act. As for installed capacity of solar power, China is way ahead of other countries with an installed capacity of 600GW. The US has 180GW, while India and Japan have 90GW each. Solar power now contributes to about 6% of total electricity generation in the world, with China, US and India being the three largest solar power generators.

In terms of the cost of solar power, they have fallen across the world. Not only is the installation of solar farms cheaper, the generation of solar power is also more economical. Taking India’s example, coal power costs Rs 3 per kwh as compared to Rs 2 per kwh for solar power (this is including the cost of installation and running costs). Similarly, in the US, the cost of coal power is USD 36 per Mwh as compared to USD 24 per Mwh for solar power.

Challenges in solar power

While solar power is here to stay and will continue to grow until 2050 and thereafter, there are some challenges that solar power faces. For one, solar power gives maximum output when the sun is at its strongest, but the peak demand for power is at different hours. This can be overcome by pairing solar power with other renewables such as wind power and geothermal (where possible) so that they can fill the demand gap at peak demand hours. Another solution could be improved energy storage of solar power as well as more intelligent grids, which can better manage the variable generation of solar power.

Solar power can also expand its footprint by finding uses in other sectors. It can also improve operations by providing innovations such as solar mini-grids, designated solar parks and providing solar as an input into other green technologies such as green hydrogen. The International Solar Alliance in New Delhi is engaged in many such initiatives, which will make solar power popular and easy to use across the world.

Conclusion

Solar power holds the key to reducing emissions and reaching net zero commitments of many countries by 2050. As technology improves and costs fall further, installed solar capacity as well as solar generation will continue to rise. With many countries still having huge potential for solar power, it can be a game changer in the fight against climate change.

The writer is Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Mass Education Extension and Library Services and Department of Cooperation, Government of West Bengal