Wind vs. Solar in the Race for India’s Energy Future
Wind Vs. Solar in the Race for India’s Energy Future
This article compares the present and future potential for energy production from wind and solar sources in India and presents a brief analysis of future trends in these two energy technologies.
Introduction
India is undergoing an energy crisis. 53% of the country’s current power needs come from coal. This highly polluting source of energy is bound to run out someday. Compared to the West, India’s energy consumption is growing at break-neck speed. As India’s poor millions advance out of poverty, they are consuming more and more power, outstripping national power production. The negative gap between consumption and production has been increasing exponentially in the past two decades, forcing the government to buy increasing quantities of power from abroad. This trend is set to continue, with the country doubling it’s energy consumption in the next 20 years. Finding alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy sources is vital to India’s future if it wants to continue sustained growth.
Careful analysis of future trends is important for providing the right information to companies wanting to get involved in energy production.
Since wind and solar energy sources are widely popular and considered to be important in India’s development of renewable energy (RE) ,an important place to begin the analysis is by studying the inherent potential for these two energy sources. In this article I will limit my analysis of the RE sector to these two energy sources.
Wind potential:
Currently, India is fifth in the world in terms of installed wind power capacity. It is second, only after Germany, in the rate of growth of it’s wind sector. Wind power accounts for 6% of the total installed power capacity and 1.6% of the actual power production in India. The total wind energy potential in India is 10 times the total installed capacity.
Given these figures, it is no surprise that this source for energy production has received
This article compares the present and future potential for energy production from wind and solar sources in India and presents a brief analysis of future trends in these two energy technologies.
Introduction
India is undergoing an energy crisis. 53% of the country’s current power needs come from coal. This highly polluting source of energy is bound to run out someday. Compared to the West, India’s energy consumption is growing at break-neck speed. As India’s poor millions advance out of poverty, they are consuming more and more power, outstripping national power production. The negative gap between consumption and production has been increasing exponentially in the past two decades, forcing the government to buy increasing quantities of power from abroad. This trend is set to continue, with the country doubling it’s energy consumption in the next 20 years. Finding alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy sources is vital to India’s future if it wants to continue sustained growth.
Careful analysis of future trends is important for providing the right information to companies wanting to get involved in energy production.
Since wind and solar energy sources are widely popular and considered to be important in India’s development of renewable energy (RE) ,an important place to begin the analysis is by studying the inherent potential for these two energy sources. In this article I will limit my analysis of the RE sector to these two energy sources.
Wind potential:
Currently, India is fifth in the world in terms of installed wind power capacity. It is second, only after Germany, in the rate of growth of it’s wind sector. Wind power accounts for 6% of the total installed power capacity and 1.6% of the actual power production in India. The total wind energy potential in India is 10 times the total installed capacity.
Given these figures, it is no surprise that this source for energy production has received