A combination of government initiatives, infrastructural support, and grassroots-level policy implementation will play a pivotal role in achieving India’s goal towards sustainable development.
The Indian economy is currently on its way to becoming one of the fastest developing countries, and is expected to be valued at $3 trillion, this year itself. Furthermore, with consistent investment towards infrastructural and policy reformations, India is, in fact, projected to grow into a $5 trillion economy, within the next few years. This path to development and innovation has also led to increased energy demands, which traditional means of energy are unable to fulfill. Thus, the role that renewable energy plays in making India a solar-reliant country is a critical part of its growth story.
A resource-rich country, India’s geography provides with a unique opportunity to utilise multiple forms of unconventional energy, in order to satisfy its growing energy needs, such as solar, wind, and hydro energy. On this pathway to sustainability, the major focus of the country has been towards the solar industry, owing to the country’s tropical nature. Recently, the Indian government has further amplified its ambitious goal to achieve 260 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacities by 2024, which indicates the potential of the solar industry in the Indian market. The focus is currently on storage solutions, as the primary hurdle for renewable energy is ensuring its constant availability.
A vital part of the energy transition in India has been the growth and promotion of electric mobility through electronic vehicles (EVs). The 2030 Vision announced by the government indicates that 30 per cent of vehicles on Indian roads would be EVs. According to the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, the EV industry in India currently has a substantial growth rate of 124 per cent. With India being the fourth-largest automobile market in the world, electrification of the transportation system will be key to achieving India’s sustainable goals.
Positive schemes such as the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) have made remarkable strides towards the growth of the sector. Most recently, the government has made a substantial allotment to the FAME-II scheme with an Rs 5 billion budgetary allocation, focused towards demand incentives for EV adoption, as well as the creation of charging stations across the country. Following the set-up of mechanisms to boost production of EVs, the next step to progress would be the installation of charging stations to support the increasing number of EVs on the road.
With remarkable steps being taken in the EV sector, there is substantial potential within the industry for the growth of the solar industry as well. For the EV sector, perhaps one of the biggest hurdles is keeping the batteries charged, and setting up charging infrastructure to facilitate the same. Technological advancements have made it possible to fit innovative PV modules in EVs to power them. These kinds of modules are often portable, flexible, lighter, durable, and more efficient, thereby making them ideal for vehicles. The easy stick-and-peel application of such modules clearly makes them the future of charging EVs “on the move”. These modules are expected to keep EV’s charged for a longer period, therefore making them the more efficient option. Additionally, the government has also announced its intention to set-up 1,000 charging stations for EVs, all across the country.
The establishment of these charging stations is an integral step in India’s journey towards e-mobility. The government has even provided 50 per cent to 100 per cent subsidies to companies that take the initiative to establish such infrastructure. In order to fully cater to the growing EV segment and the high energy requirement of these stations, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has advised that they should be linked to grid-connected solar plants, to ensure green energy for EVs.
The way forward, in light of this, must also involve legislative mandates to Indian automobile manufacturers to ensure that a specific part of their total production consists of EVs or other electrified offerings. Furthermore, the NITI-Aayog is also considering a proposal of banning all internal combustion engine two-wheelers under 150cc by 2025 and three-wheelers by 2023, which could provide significant impetus to the shift to EVs. A combination of such government initiatives and infrastructural support, along with grassroots-level policy implementation, will play a pivotal role in achieving India’s goal towards sustainable development, in the years to come.
Sunil Rathi
Director, WAAREE Energies
Sunil Rathi is the Director-Sales & Marketing in Waaree Energies Ltd. He has expertise acquired over 24 years in solar energy and power electronics industry. His circuitry in the industry aids implementing New Market entry & Business Strategies and forging strategic alliances.
Source : economictimes
