For all those keen to see the increased development of solar power for homes globally, we bring you some great news. A new plan has been announced that will bring solar power to 500 million people who are currently living without electricity in India.
The National Solar Mission, a new government plan approved by India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, will increase India’s capacity to generate solar power from almost zero to 20 gigawatts (20 billion watts) by 2020, then to 100 gigawatts by 2030 and then to 200 gigawatts by 2050.
The scale of this announcement is brought home when you consider that, right now, there is only 15GW of solar generation capacity globally.
This will bring an end to the crippling power cuts that regularly hamper India’s economic growth. With an average of 300 days plus of sunshine per year, India is ideally suited to a solar power initiative.
India today uses roughly 150GW of electricity per year most of which is created by burning ‘dirty’ coal. Its vast population and its recent massive economic growth, have combined to make India one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
For some time now, Western governments have been pressing the two main emerging super-powers, India and China, to take on carbon caps. This pressure will, no doubt, be brought to bare at the United Nations summit on climate change in Copenhagen this year.
India, up to this point, has resisted this, pointing out that its per capita emissions are a tiny fraction of those of the developed world and also noting that, as a nation, it is still trying to pull the majority of its 1.1 billion people out of poverty.
A government draft talks of bringing the cost of solar power to the level of conventional power by 2017. This, it is expected, will stimulate the solar power industry in India.
From 2010 to 1212, it is planned that all government buildings and all major commercial spaces will have to install solar panels. Government subsidies will be made available for the introduction of solar water heaters and all domestic lighting will come from solar power for homes.
Following the construction of a number of major solar power plants, solar power for homes will reach India’s remote villages most of which will be connected to the national grid. Meanwhile, those who invest in their own solar power for homes will be encouraged to sell any excess solar power back to the grid.
From 2013 to 2020, there will be an increase in commercial production, with the construction of a number of massive solar thermal plants that use solar energy to heat steam-driven power stations.
The project is set to cost a little over 900 billion rupees and it is projected to save at least 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the first 10 years. It has not been decided yet whether India will look for international assistance in the finance of this grand plan.
Looked at from every angle, this has got to be seen as great news for all, not least solar power for homes enthusiasts.
Info via: The National newspaper
Pic via: stock.xchng
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