Generation & Sustainability of Solar Energy Should Be Focused Henceforth As Targets of 2018 Already Achieved: PHD Chamber

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday recommended that the focus of solar power should shift away from installations of solar plants to generation and sustainability of solar energy.

The Chamber also feels that the withdrawal of safeguards measures against solar panel imports should be undertaken in a phased manner as India’s solar plant installations are largely import fed with better quality inputs.

At the same time, sufficient encouragement should continue to happen at policy levels to encourage indigenous manufacturers of solar panels and other inputs that form critical components to setting up solar power installations.

The aforesaid recommendations were mooted at a National Solar Summit – 2018 under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today in which experts such as Director, Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), Mr. A K Jain; President, Solar Energy Society of India, Mr. Ajay Prakash Shrivastava; Chairman, Renewable & Alternate Energy Committee, PHD Chamber, Dr. Suresh Goyal and its Principal Director, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta participated.

A view largely emerged during the Summit that already a great deal of solar plant installations has been happening across the country with an accelerated pace and from now onwards the emphasis should be on generation and sustainability of solar power plants so that adequate non-conventional energy is supplied throughout the country particularly in land parcels in which solar raise are powerful to generate energy.

With increased focus on generation would automatically lead to measures for sustained solar energy efforts so that darker landscapes are lit and achieve the objectives already laid down in the National Solar Mission.

According to the Chamber, the National Solar Mission seems firmly on its path to achieve the target of 100 GW of grid-connected solar power by 2022. However, a lot needs to be done to improve domestic manufacturing and develop a competitive industry with qualified manpower. The solar rooftop programme needs to be strengthened and market innovations are required so that a large market for distributed solar power can be developed in a short time.