As technology advances and costs continue to decline, solar power is set to play an even more influential role in the energy landscape, paving the way for urban sustainability
Climate change and the upsurge in energy consumption pushed every industry to look for new energy resources. Among various renewable and sustainable sources, solar energy, in particular, gained significant value. It has become a great substitute for conventional energy sources like fossil fuels and nuclear power. India’s total installed solar capacity has crossed 72 GW, as per the Ministry of Power. Moreover, a recent IEA report revealed that the nation is poised to meet 18 percent of its energy requirements through solar by 2030.
Today, with the increasing demand and need for sustainable solutions, solar energy utilisation is gaining more and more popularity. However, given the growth traction, the demand for solar energy and its financial and environmental impacts are not unique. To deal with the effect, the government of India has launched various initiatives, with solar park schemes being no exception. In this context, solar park projects have emerged as an important component, contributing to the overall growth of solar energy in the country. These projects provide a large area of land for solar installations, making it easier to set up solar power plants and contributing to India's renewable energy goals.
The Solar Parks Scheme: A Government Initiative
Solar parks, are large-scale solar energy installations that use the power of the sun to generate electricity. The concept of solar power is to bring together multiple solar panels, inverters, transformers, and others to create a centralised source of clean energy. In fact, as of 2023, the government has approved 57 solar parks with an aggregate capacity of 39.28 GW, as per the report by the Ministry of News and Renewable Energy. These projects have been implemented all over the world and are having a substantial impact on lowering carbon footprints and mitigating the consequences of climate change.
Thus, solar parks appeared as an innovative and cost-effective solution that helped increase the use of solar energy and reduce the usage of fossil fuels. For example, India is home to the largest solar power plant, the Bhadla Solar Plant. The park's total capacity is 2245 megawatts, which contains 10 million solar panels.
Furthermore, the primary goal of India's solar park initiative is to help various states and union territories build solar parks across the country. These parks offer fully developed land with the necessary approvals, transmission systems, water access, road connectivity, and communication networks. By doing so, the strategy speeds up the building of grid-connected solar power projects for large-scale energy generation. However, establishing solar parks has great benefits, but in urban areas where the electricity demand is high, finding land for each project surfaces as a significant challenge. Thus, it is important to conduct thorough environmental impact assessments and engage with local stakeholders to deal with obstacles, ensuring sustainable development practices.
Challenges and potential solutions:
Maximising space utilisation: Space limitation is the most significant barrier to the implementation of solar parks in urban areas. Rural plains have no constraints on space, whereas metropolitan areas struggle to find suitable land spacious enough for solar panel installations. The terrace of buildings represents a source with the most solar exposure. However, competition from the HVAC system, communication infrastructure, and other buildings makes the issue more difficult. However, innovations have been put in place to overcome this territorial problem. Rooftop solar panels, including solar facades and awnings, provide an alternative way to harness solar energy in urban settings. This strategy allows urban areas to benefit from solar electricity without the need for large amounts of open land. This enables more sustainable energy practices in highly populated cities.
Dealing with shading and obstructions: Complications may occur in metropolises because the high buildings and trees that cast a shadow can damage the efficacy and productivity of solar plants. These shading troubles constitute a significant obstacle, resulting in a lower power generation rate. Nonetheless, innovative solutions can be an efficient answer to these problems. With the help of micro-inverters and power optimisers, solar panels can function even without relying on the whole system. Through these measures, solar panels can generate electricity efficiently, even in areas with shading and obstructions. Additionally, regular maintenance and cleaning of the panels can also help maximise their performance and output.
Powering the urban grid: Urban areas deal with the technical city power networks with a wide variety of power suppliers, such as solar energy, which brings challenges to integration while providing stability and reliability. However, the combination of smart grid technologies and energy storage systems can help optimise energy distribution and ensure a more resilient urban grid. By implementing advanced monitoring and control systems, the urban arena can better manage the fluctuating supply from renewable sources and maintain a consistent power supply for residents and businesses.
Solar energy projects and park-based activities are critical to achieving sustainable energy solutions. With the world's reliance on non-renewable resources rapidly decreasing, it is critical to transition to renewable sources such as solar energy. In fact, the future of solar energy utilisation appears bright, with an increasing trend of renewable energy adoption and technological developments in the sector. As technology advances and costs continue to decline, solar power is set to play an even more influential role in the energy landscape, paving the way for urban sustainability. As a result, solar park projects will become increasingly significant in meeting the growing energy demands of urban areas while reducing carbon emissions.
(Simarpreet Singh is founder and ceo of Hartek Solar.)