Journal of Management (JOM) Volume 5, Issue 3, May – June 2018, pp. 156–158, Article ID: JOM_05_03_020 Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/JOM/issues.asp?JType=JOM&VType=5&IType=3 ISSN Print: 2347-3940 and ISSN Online: 2347-3959 © IAEME Publication SOLAR POWER FOR DEVELOPMENT Ramadas K.V Department of Business Administration, Faculty of People Institute of Management Studies, Kannur University, Kasargod, Kerala, India ABSTRACT After gaining independence, India was in a desperate hurry to build a strong infrastructure. One crucial area for development was power. All factors of conventional power production were developed simultaneously. Huge thermal and hydroelectric projects were undertaken on a war footing and the total installed capacity steadily increased. However, the steady growth in population and increased industrialization ensured that the demand for power always outstripped supply. Along with the rest of the world, India also went in for nuclear power which is comparatively cheaper than thermal power. But even after setting up 7 nuclear plants, the power scenario remained negative. Govt. realized that conventional methods of power production will not yield the desired quantum of power and turned to renewable energy sources to supplement power. Wind and solar energy are now being promoted in a big way and the results so far have been very encouraging. Her we take a look at the adoption of solar energy by the Govt. to meet energy requirements. Key words: Solar energy, hydroelectric power, Thermal power, Renewable energy Cite this Article: Ramadas K.V, Solar Power for Development. Journal of Management, 5(3), 2018, pp. 156–158. http://www.iaeme.com/JOM/issues.asp?JType=JOM&VType=5&IType=3 1. INTRODUCTION The dawn of independence saw India struggling without basic infrastructure facilities like power, roads, telecommunication, core industries and a stable and organized financial market. All this posed a herculean task for the newly formed government. Primary importance was given to erection of major power plants. 2. HYDRO AND THERMAL PROJECTS In order to have uniform and sustained development across the country, Five Year Plans were formulated with the first such plan being introduced in1951. Giant Hydroelectric and Thermal power stations were built with huge financial outlay. Bhakra Nangal, Nagarjuna Sagar and Koyna Hydro Electric are some of the major hydro projects while Talcher, Ramagundam, Chandrapur and Farakka Power Plant were in the Thermal sector. Several other Hydro and thermal plants are under various stages of construction but it is not clear when these units will be commissioned. However, with the establishment of several heavy industries in both public http://www.iaeme.com/JOM/index.asp 156 [email protected] Solar Power for Development and private sectors coupled with a fast growing population saw demand for power outstrip supply by a large margin. 3. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS To augment the available power supply, subsequent Five Year Plans provided for setting up of nuclear power plants and the first one was commissioned in 1969 in Tarapore, Maharashtra. This was followed by the erection of 6 more nuclear power stations with a combined capacity of 6780 MW. Eleven more reactors are in the pipeline with additional capacity of 8100MW. The additional power generated by nuclear reactors was also insufficient to meet the growing demand. 4. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES – WIND ENERGY Government then turned to other renewable energy sources like wind and windmills were erected in large numbers by the states of Tamil Nadu, erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Tamil Nadu produces almost 8000MW of wind electricity which is 30% of total wind energy produced in the country. Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan are also playing a pivotal role in increasing wind energy production. As on 2016, India occupies the fourth place in wind energy production after China, US, and Germany in that order. 5. SOLAR ENERGY India has witnessed major countries like China, Japan, Germany and US make rapid strides in solar energy development. In China, solar energy accounts for more than 25% of their total power output. When even the addition of windmill energy failed to meet the ever increasing demand for energy the government decided to turn to solar energy to fill the gap between supply and demand in the shortest span of time. Solar energy production was promoted in a big way in both public and private sector. Subsidies and other incentives were offered to both sectors. Individual households were offered subsidized erection of solar power units. 9 large solar power plants were commissioned in various parts of the country. They are: 1. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, AndhraPradesh 2. Kamuthi Solar Power Project, TamilNadu 3. Bhadla Solar Park, Rajasthan 4. Sakhri Solar Plant, Maharashtra 5. Charanka Solar Park, Gujarat 6. Welspun Solar MP Project, Madhya Pradesh 7. Dhirubhai Ambani Solar Park, Rajasthan 8. Pavagada Solar Park, Karnataka 9. Banasura Sagar Dam Floating Solar Power Plant, Kerala. The growth in solar energy production was rather lopsided and confined to a few states. However, cheapness of the solar power and continuous availability of solar rays has encouraged the government to give further fillip for increasing solar power production. Since it is well known that there is no limit to the solar power that can be generated and that it can one day in the not too distant future, replace the costly fossil fuel based thermal power and the hazardous nuclear power. Along with private citizens, government is also encouraging large industries and organizations to take up captive solar power generation to further augment the solar power availability. Out of the total power generation of 300GW as on February, 2018, the share of http://www.iaeme.com/JOM/index.asp 157 [email protected] Ramadas K.V solar energy was 20GW. Solar power is ranked fourth behind thermal (85.19%); Hydro (10.65%); Nuclear (3.38%); Solar (0.67%) and wind (0.11%). The Government proposes to increase the solar power production by another 10GW by the year 2020. It has also identified solar energy as the power for future needs. With increasing power production by all the factors of power production, India is on the verge of becoming a self reliant nation. 6. SUGGESTION As the production of power from renewable energy sources increase with increased production, it would be in the long term interest of the country to cut back on nuclear power and thermal power to the maximum extent possible. 7. CONCLUSIONS With the Sun projected to shine for another 5 billion years, the abundance of solar energy available to us and the world in general knows no limits, it only remains for us to tap this abundant energy source as much as possible. As compared to thermal and hydro electricity which are both expensive and time consuming to install, solar energy is both cheap and easily installed. It will also give us the additional benefit of reduced carbon emission, reduction in global warming leading up to an easier life on the planet for all living beings. Let’s therefore give 3 cheers for SOLAR energy!!! 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