Rooftop energy

Rooftop energy

Context:

• Surveys to map usable rooftops for solar power must be undertaken nationwide

Why in news?

• Bengaluru’s aerial mission to produce a three dimensional map of rooftop solar power potential using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data can give solar  source of power a big boost

Highlights’ of the survey:

• A survey determines usable rooftops, separating them from green spaces, and analyses the quality of the solar resource.
• Solar maps of this kind will give residents an opportunity to the grid  by 2022.

Challenges:

• Major solar projects that connect to the grid often face the challenge of land acquisition and transmission connectivity.
• This has led to a delay in planned capacity coming on stream during 2017: nearly 3,600 MW did not get commissioned during the last quarter, out of a scheduled 5,100 MW.

Way ahead:

• Rooftop solar power growth has demonstrated an overall positive trend, including in the fourth quarter of 2017 when tenders for 220 MW represented a doubling of the achievement in the previous quarter.
• This need to be scaled up massively to achieve the national target.
• Domestic policy has to evaluate the impact of factors such as imposition of safeguard duty and anti-dumping duty on imports, and levy of the goods and services tax on photovoltaic modules.
• The Centre should come up with incentives, given the enormous investment potential waiting to be tapped and the real estate that can be rented.
• The southern States and Rajasthan together host the bulk of national solar infrastructure on a large scale.
•  Need for some forward-looking policymaking.

Conclusion:

India, which is a founder-member of the International Solar Alliance launched in Paris during the climate change conference more than two years ago, must strive to be a global leader. Initiatives such as the Bengaluru mapping project can contribute to assessments of both real potential and risk. This is crucial for projects on a large scale involving significant exposure for financial institutions, including banks. With ongoing improvements to solar cell efficiency and battery technology, rooftops will only get more attractive in the future.