Bangalore: India can play a leading role in the global photovoltaic (PV) and solar industry, says a new white paper released in Bangalore today by SEMI PV Group, a group dedicated to serving the photovoltaic and solar manufacturing supply chain.

The photovoltaic industry-guided white paper, The Solar PV Landscape in India - An Industry Perspective, focusing on solar photovoltaics projects solar photovoltaic as an area with tremendous potential, including growth opportunities and potential socio-economic development benefits and the current market.

The paper was produced by the Indian arm of global photovoltaics industry association, SEMI, SEMI India PV advisory committee, with the involvement of industry leaders from all sectors of the solar pholtaic supply chain.

SEMI  represents the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. This paper suggests that India can play a leading role in the global photovoltaic (PV) and solar industry.

The paper highlights numerous drivers for photovoltaics in India, including the country's rising energy needs, persistent energy situation, and the country's overdependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.

India is already home to nine photovoltaic cell manufacturers and nearly 20 module manufacturers, and the country benefits from an abundant endowment of solar radiation, averaging 300 sunny days per year. Effective public policies in support of PV manufacturing and wider adoption could substantially reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels for power generation, and produce enormous socio-economic benefits. 

" We need to focus on the industry perspective and give special attention on where we are and where we want to go," said Dr J Gururaja, former senior advisor at the United Nations and adviser, ministry of non-renewable energy, explaining the speaking on the rationale for such a report.

Dr J Gururaja, currently part of the Renewable Energy Action Forum, is executive president, SEMI India, said this paper was just a first account report, and hoped more such reports would follow. The key issue to be addressed is litigating the problem of climate change.

Dr Gururaja believes that the gvernment would have to evolve several technical issues and the cost effectiveness have to, ''but we're well positioned to achieve greater results than what we have seen. But markets are not expanding as much as we would like.''

To expand solar power usage in the country, he also says that marketing mechanisms need to be developed to bring about a change in the acceptance of solar power.

Satya Prasad, president, SEMI India, said, ''There is great untapped potential for off grid PV technology deployment in India's many rural areas, based on real needs for lighting and electrification, powering irrigation pumps, providing backup power for the growing network of cell towers, as well as other urban applications.

"By making available this off-grid source of power, many of the 450 million people in India who now rely on kerosene and other fuels to light their homes could enjoy a significantly higher quality of life. Effective public policies in support of PV manufacturing and adoption could substantially reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels for power generation, while producing enormous socio-economic benefits like the creation of tens of thousands of jobs across the supply chain, from R&D and manufacturing to installation and maintenance.'' 

K Subramanya, CEO, Tata BP Solar said for Solar PV to grow in India, political will needs to be present with adequate funding, budgets and investors. The carbonless growth path strategy  decision can only be taken at the highest political level for it to work, such as the prime minister of our country who needs to support this.

In 2008, while releasing the national action plan on climate change , Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had said,''In (India's) strategy, the sun occupies centre stage, as it should, being literally the original source of all energy. We will pool all our scientific, technical and managerial talents, with financial resources, to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people. Our success in this endeavor will change the face of India.''

Subramanya also said that policy innovations and lifestyle innovations are vital. He believes that if we start implementing what the former president Abdul Kalam has been advocating, urban amenities in rural areas, then we will achieve a reverse migration. He said that the key is in micro-financing where financial institutions have to be induced to look at solar.

 ''This is the first paper of its kind, presenting the industry view of the transformational potential of PV in India, highlighting challenges and making a call for action," said Subramanya. A collaborative effort between the government, industry, academia and other stake holders can result in the creation and execution of a shared vision for PV, with benefits across multiple dimensions.

"If the recommendations are pursued with vigour, India, with its combination of market, industrial, and research infrastructure and advantageous geographical location, could well write the future and lead the world in solar PV," he emphasised.

(See: The Solar PV Landscape in India)