Solar Energy: Current Indian Scenario

Abstract

India with a rapidly growing economy stands 5th in the world in terms of production and consumption of electricity. The country has tremendous scope of generating solar energy largely because of its geographical location which enables to receive solar radiation almost throughout the year. Almost every part of India receives 4–7 kWh of solar radiation/m2 which is equivalent to 2300–3200 of sunshine h/yr. Several states including Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh have the potential to trap solar energy due to their location. Solar energy is the best form of renewable energy source that enables to fulfill energy needs of the country and also allows bridging the gap between the energy demand and supply.