CHALLENGES FOR INDIA’S SUN

India's PV Future
Vincent Kapur, (PV Group)

"…India has become a hot topic among those looking for the next big market to emerge for photovoltaics. PV technologies are being imported to India from other nations with vastly different fundamental energy situations…[T]echnology deployment models which have seen success in Europe and North America will not succeed in this market…

"A common misconception, particularly among the community of investors looking at the Indian market, is that PV systems are essentially plug-and-play…India possesses a very broad geographic territory which has yet to be blanketed with full access to grid power. Local and inter-regional distribution and transmission networks will require serious upgrades, expansions, and overhauls…[F]inancing for grid-tied projects will have to cover the necessary extra costs and delays are certain…A greater concern is the reliability of the grid…"

It may not be as easy as it looks (click to enlarge)

"One thing that India has plenty of is atmospheric particulates, especially due to heavy use of coal as well as innumerable open cooking fires…This is one cause of frequent blackouts. Another effect of pollution is a reduction of direct incident sunlight available, limiting the effectiveness of PV systems which rely on concentrator lenses…

"India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy plans to implement its National Solar Mission (NSM) with the stated objective to ‘establish India as a global leader in solar energy’ through creation of favorable ‘policy conditions’. This has naturally raised concerns about cheap PV modules flooding into the market from neighboring China…Despite the limitations of most conventional models, PV will definitely make a positive impact on India’s energy portfolio in the near future…Armed with the right strategy, businesses can position themselves to take full advantage of the what may turn out to be an energy revolution for India…"