India’s peak power demand hit nearly 215 GW amid a heatwave, which has been the worst one the country has seen in decades. Our renewable energy minister RK Singh said in a statement that the power, coal and railway ministries were facing a major challenge in meeting the energy demand. So when the energy demand exponentially increases, our electricity generation also needs to match up. If we are facing a coal shortage, this might not be possible and then there is a need to look for alternative energy generation sources.
India’s current electricity situation
Temperature’s in India are rising and it can all be traced to climate change caused largely by the overuse of fossil fuels and excessive carbon emissions. With soaring temperatures the need for power also rises. India is largely dependent on coal and fossil fuels for energy generation. As the world grapples with a coal shortage, India too is bound to face similar issues. The shortage has also raised prices, adding to the woes of countries largely dependent on it, like India.
Whatever coal is necessary is sent over to the countries and states that can afford it or need it the most. Instances of power outages for a couple of hours in urban areas and for long hours in rural areas have only grown over the last couple of years.
A Singapore based rating and research company, Fitch Ratings, released a report which stated that they expect monthly electricity demand in 2022 to peak at around 132 billion kWh – 15 percent higher than the average monthly demand in the first quarter of 2022, keeping in tune with the heat wave the country is witnessing.
This is a serious cause for concern and one that needs immediate attention.
Opting for alternative sources of electricity
If the coal available in the country cannot meet the electricity demands, there is an urgent need to look at alternative sources that will generate electricity. The solar revolution in India has already started and now is the time to speed it up. It is a clean and renewable energy source that has the potential to generate electricity for round the clock consumption.
There are more than one benefits of opting for solar energy-
It’s cost effective: If the supply for coal cannot keep up with the demand, it will get costlier and this expense will trickle down to the common man either in the form of costlier electricity or high taxes.
Environmentally sustainable: In the long run, coal is harmful for the environment and therefore for the future generations. There is a need to curb the pollution and its harmful effects, climate change being the best example, to be able to mitigate its impact and stop destruction due to a polluted environment.
Renewable energy: There is abundance of solar energy, freely available and it is completely safe as well.
Why is India ideal for solar energy?
The location in which India is situated, is ideal for solar energy generation since it gets 300 days of sunshine. India is also a tropical country and almost all areas of the country receive about 4 to 7 kWh of solar radiation per sq meters. This is equivalent to 2,300–3,200 sunshine hours per year. States like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, and West Bengal have great potential for tapping solar energy due to their ideal location.
Opting for solar energy is also great for India, as it will reduce the carbon footprint and environmentally will be the better option.
It is clean, efficient and economical too!