Solar energy products are increasing by leaps and bounds in the global market for solar power. Nothing could be better news – the sun provides a renewable source of free energy, environmentally clean and economical in the long-run.
Solar energy production is increasing every year, with countries like Germany, Japan, Spain, China clambering to the top of the lists with increasing investment in solar power and solar energy products.
Ranging from active (thermal, photovoltaic market) to passive (architecture design), solar technologies keep advancing with each passing year to produce ameliorating solar energy products.
And India? Solar energy production in India is still wavering at minimal levels, given the huge potential for the solar power market. Solar energy products in India do exist, with solar water heaters and solar lights as majority, yet there is a telling gap.
But first, a broad outlook on solar energy production in the world.
THE GLABAL SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCT MARKET
Solar technologies commenced appearing during the latter half of the 19th century, when fear of coal depletion prodded scientists and inventors to develop solar energy products. Due to easing of fossil fuel woes during early 20th century, the solar energy product market sadly stagnated, and since then followed the ups and downs of the oil market.
Having said that, environmental concerns and future oil expectations have nevertheless made governments pay attention and take to renewable energy sources in the past years; indeed, there has been a solar energy product growth spurt since 1999. 2007 saw a 50% increase in solar cell production; at present, global solar energy production through installation of photovoltaics is increasing year by year (83% in 2009). Solar energy production is India is a dismal 0.4% as compared to other energy sources.
The various applications of solar power have led to an extensive assortment of solar energy products. Architecture and urban planning allows for passive solar energy production as well as active devices such as solar pumps and fans. The agriculture and horticulture segment can boast of greenhouses and solar irrigation pumps. Solar lights are a favorite solar energy product, one which has found much favor in India particularly.
The solar thermal and solar photovoltaic (PV) sector can boast of a relatively broad solar energy product range, from water heating solar units like the very popular solar water heater to water cooling ones; from ventilation items, for example the solar air conditioner, to common commodities such as calculators and torches. Large solar PV fields like the biggest one Sarnia Photovoltaic Plant in Canada are involved in direct electricity generation. (Solar PV industry is expected to take the place of fossil fuels and even nuclear energy.)
There has also been experimentation with solar energy products to power chemical processes such as electrolysis. There is even a Sandia’s Sunshine to Petrol methodology that uses sun to break down CO2 into CO (and oxygen) which can be used for fossil fuel synthesis.
Yet another solar energy product is the solar car. Boats and hot-air balloons are already in the running as well to become solar-powered. Annual solar car races in various parts of the world (one in India occurred two years ago) attest to the fervor attached to at least construction of an environment-friendly car.
SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION IN INDIA
Coming specifically to the land of much sun, heat and humidity as well as persistent power shortages, overdependence on coal (52%) and huge oil and gas imports, solar energy production in India remains appallingly low.
This is made evident by the minimal range of solar energy products in India. Solar lighting (solar lamps, street lights), rural electrification, solar water heaters, solar cookers and PV pumps sum up the measly range of solar energy products in India. Given the fact that there are only ten solar cell manufacturers in the country, it’s hardly surprising
Whether the fault is on the demand side or the suppliers’, it bears little consequence since they each feed the other. In the current situation, both need to come forward for solar energy products in India to reach anywhere near the variety abroad. For example, second generation solar cells have only now made an appearance in India, though still in labs at the moment; Reliance finally added solar ACs in its product brochure a mere two years ago.
It is hoped solar energy production will rise and solar energy products in the market will increase through government incentives (e.g. feed-in tariffs); bank loan schemes with interest-subsidies; training and development of solar energy product engineers; goal-driven R&D; and build-up of consumer awareness among other things.
Much has been said and conjectured about the availability and ideal nature of the Thar Desert to host its own photovoltaic plant. No concrete steps seem to have taken place yet. However, the biggest and boldest step so far to increase solar energy production in India has been taken through the launch of the National Solar Mission, which vows production of 20GW of solar power by 2020. This will invariably also increase the number of solar energy products in India and raise India as a world solar power producer.
Considering over 450 million people are still not connected to the electricity grid, solar energy production in India could – and should – be further exploited, given its independent nature. Given that 70% of India is still agriculturally inclined, solar energy products in India could easily be driven towards irrigation pumps and generators. India also has no substantive crude oil reserves; all existing ones are projected to be exhausted in the next coming decade. And irradiation figures clearly show that a meager 0.5% of India’s land under solar power could fully fulfill India’s energy demands in 2030.
These are only a few examples which demonstrate the perfect eligibility of solar energy production in India.
Already a leader in wind power generation, India would do well to step up its solar energy production, not only to feed its power hungry population but also to put into place a sustainable development infrastructure.
To deal with cost of solar cells in India, the first and foremost factor to recognize is the power shortage of 15% in the nation. This automatically opens up a market for renewable energy, and with the National Solar Mission launched in January (aim of 20,000 MW by 2022) making considerable headway in its first year, there is scope for solar cells prices in India to follow the downward trend seen around the world. But a number of aspects need to be considered – factors affecting solar cells costs in India, how to lower price of solar cells in India and what future expectations to have of solar cells prices in India.
WHAT AFFECTS SOLAR CELLS COSTS IN INDIA?
The cost of solar cells in India is dependent on several variables.
Firstly, the fact that raw materials and components in solar cell technology still have to be imported to some degree – like the vital silicon wafers – raise the price of solar cells in India. Secondly, the type of technology being followed by photovoltaic (PV) cells manufacturers is of the first generation kind – that is, crystalline silicon as the semiconductor, which is as of now the most efficient but also the most expensive. This undoubtedly keeps solar cells costs in India at a higher level than if manufacturers of solar cells in India were to mass-produce solar modules with second generation technology using film thin substances.
Thirdly, lack of proper infrastructure and proper know-how is severely limiting the potential for solar cells prices in India to fall. Granted, thin film technology has entered India, and yes, the government in currently in the midst of providing several incentives for solar cell manufacturers in a bid to lower price of solar cells in India, but thin film technology is not yet at the stage of mass-production, and financial crunch is incapacitating several companies from jumping in. Thus cost of solar cells in India remains higher than it could potentially be.
NECESSARY STEPS TO LOWER PRICE OF SOLAR CELLS IN INDIA
The above complications also provide solutions to affect solar cells costs in India.
For one, the government needs to step up incentives and research funding to lure companies into the solar cell market so that cost of solar cells in India can compete aggressively with those manufactured, in say, China. Take Japan and Germany as examples, who remain solar cell price competitors, in part because of large government subsidies. Cost of solar cells in India would be lowered through similar government action here.
After all, the solar cell is the basic device used to create solar products, thus of significant value. Solar cells prices in India would need to drop to a level deemed competitive enough to continue manufacture of further solar products. The Indian government has recently started on the path that leads to lowering of solar cells cost in India, with SIPS, feed-in tariffs and a Clean Energy Fund.
Then, the arrival of thin film technology in India needs to be pursued, as it introduces price competitiveness and thus a potential forecast of falling price of solar cells in India. Thin film solar cells, of which amorphous silicon ones are the best developed, are more flexible, less costly and more easily installed than first generation devices. The low conversion rate only presents Indian companies with a chance to lower solar cells prices in India through researching and developing methods to increase electricity yield. Home-grown technology would definitely be the best way to lower cost of solar cells in India.
Government schemes and thin film technology have both led to major investments already being made, such as by newcomer Moser Baer. Investments in solar panel manufacturing plants (where capital costs are still quite high) would be a definite step towards diminishing solar cells costs in India.
There is also a need to take stock of the Indian situation to be able to fully enjoy reduced solar cells prices in India. There are many villages not linked to the power grid – remote area solar applications would greatly benefit such locales. Clean drinking water is a persistent problem and solar desalination through solar-cell operated electro-dialysis instead of conventional solar still are better suited – thus development of this field would benefit solar cell technology – and help optimize price of solar cells in India. High temperatures in many parts of the country dictate better efficiency rates through thin film solar cells.
FUTURE TREND EXPECTED OF SOLAR CELLS PRICES IN INDIA
Solar cells costs, measured in price per watt peak, have lowered drastically from $27/Wp during early 1980s to about $4/Wp at present (for >125 watts).
Solar cells costs in India (locally manufactured PV units) will undoubtedly follow the same trend, though initial cost of investment will run high. But as technology advances and more companies enter the playing field, market competitiveness will help lower price of solar cells in India. Furthermore, since India isn’t a great party to the capital crunch, there is greater scope for investment by Indian companies in R&D which will pay off in the long-run through resultant cost of solar cells in India. Japan, for example, spends a great deal more in research than USA and Germany, and is currently enjoying low solar cell costs.
Relating to the cost of solar cells in India, it is worth keeping in mind the cost per unit of solar power generation is Rs.15-17, much higher than coal-based electricity generation cost, in the range of Rs.4-9. Adoption of thin-film technology, organic cells and Concentrated Solar Power would go a long way in stabilizing solar cells prices in India to a competitive level.
Greater awareness and the NSM will create increasing demand over the next coming years in India – industrially as well as in residential areas. Price of solar cells in India will fall if manufacturers of solar cells rise to the occasion. Solar energy is a long-term investment; the same applies to solar cells costs in India. Solar cells prices in India at the retail level are okay, but at factory level, the cost of production is high. Through continued investment and technical innovation, solar cells costs in India will gradually become competitive at the global stage.
The traditional ways of producing energy will soon fade away and new technologies which are nature friendly, renewable and cheap will soon evolve. High energy prices have triggered increased interest in renewable energy technologies. Out of all such technologies including Wind Energy, Tidal Energy etc, the most efficient and renewable form of energy is Solar Energy.
The power generated from sunlight is known as Solar Energy. Out of the total solar radiation received by the earths atmosphere, 30% is reflected back to the space and the rest enters the earths atmosphere and is absorbed by clouds, land masses and oceans.
The practical use of this Solar Radiation is known as Solar Energy. Solar Energy is a form of renewable energy which derives its energy from the sun. Such technologies are considered “green” because they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists cite as a contributing factor to climate change. Solar Energy can be used for a large number of applications. It is the most efficient form of energy which is free of cost, renewable and also harmless to the mother nature.
Power, which is of uttermost importance in today’s world can be generated with the help of Solar Energy. Power generated from Solar Energy is known as Solar Power. Solar Power can be generated in Solar Power Plants by utilizing solar energy on a larger scale.
Sunlight, in these power plants, is converted into electricity by using Photovoltaics (PV), Concentrating Solar Power(CSP) and various other methods.
On one hand where Photovoltaics (PV) are mainly used for small sized and medium sized applications such as Solar Calculators, Solar Watches which are powered by single or multiple solar cells, Concentrating Solar Power(CSP) Plants are used to generate Solar power on a larger scale in Solar Power Plants.
The 64 Mw Nevada Solar One is one such Solar Plant located in Nevada, United States which produces enough electricity to meet the energy demands of about 40,000 households.
Solar Plants generally make use of the system called Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) System which makes use of a large number of mirrors and lenses to focus sunlight on a small area. The heating effect produced in this small area acts as a source to a conventional power plant.
Each of these methods of concentrating sunlight is capable of producing enormously high temperatures and thermodynamic efficiencies.
Depending on there concentrating capabilities, Solar power systems are divided into 3 categories
* Concentrated solar thermal (CST)
* Concentrated photovoltaics (CPV)
* Concentrating photovoltaics and thermal (CPT)
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