Solar Power can meet 5-7% Power Requirement by 2021-22

Introduction

A study published by KPMG, a global consulting company has forecast that solar power can meet 5-7% of India’s total power requirements by 2021-22.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah said India has good potential for solar power as it receives solar energy equivalent to over 5,000 trillion kWh per year, which is far more than the total energy consumption of the country. He said the daily average solar energy incident varies from 4 - 7 kWh per square meter of the surface area depending upon the location and time of the year. The Minister added that the solar radiation is available at most locations in the country for about 300 days in a year.

Dr. Farooq Abdullah informed that the total installed capacity of grid connected solar power plants as on date is 45.5 MW. He said the Government has launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in January 2010, which aims to set up 20,000 MW grid solar power by 2022 in addition to 2,000 MW of off-grid solar power. He said deployment of solar power is, thereafter, expected to increase rapidly due to declining prices of solar power, indigenization and technology improvements.

Source

Press Information Bureau, August 29, 2011