India is fast emerging as an economic and industrial power. It has tremendous potential to become not only a developed nation but a global superpower in the years to come. It is a member of the ‘Group of Twenty’ (G20) and one of the five major emerging national economies, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).
To quote George Curzon, “The central position of India, its magnificent resources, its teeming multitude of men, its great trading harbours, its reserve of military strength – all these are assets of precious value.”
India has the world’s second-largest population, with about 50% below the age group of 24. It provides the nation with a great pool of manpower, helping in its growth. We are also a nation gifted with abundant land and water resources, which most of its population is heavily dependent on. So why has India not made it to the list that includes countries like the United States, Britain and Russia?
The energy crisis could be one of its main concerns among the several factors curbing its development. The government of India promised to electrify all villages in India. However, extending power lines to remote villages is costly, and paying for conventional electricity is something the villagers cannot afford.
With the government failing in this endeavour, we cannot hope to propel development at the pace we desire. In addition, accelerated urbanization and industrial development have put our environment at risk. Our greenhouse gas emissions are increasing by the day. With the per capita population at a record high, this number will only increase if there is no conscious human intervention.
Moreover, India is the country most affected by climate change as this phenomenon directly impacts natural resources. So what can we, individuals of this beautiful country, do to help India reach its development goals?
Adopting solar energy in India is a sensible, simple, and feasible solution to this problem. Solar energy is the most promising, affordable, and reachable of the various sources of renewable energy.
The sun provides enough energy in one minute to supply the world’s energy needs for one year!
Solar energy is non-polluting, requires little maintenance and supervision, and has a life of 20-30 years with low running costs. It is incredibly unique because no large-scale installation is required. Credit must be given to the Indian government for identifying the value of solar energy in India and thus implementing several schemes to promote its use in India’s remotest villages. It has also provided several tax benefits and incentives for adopting solar energy in India. As a recent addition to its plan, the government has taken on a mission to solarize street lights all over the country.
Solar energy in India is now adopted by individual urban homeowners to power their homes. Corporations are now giving impetus to solar energy in their CSR agenda. Most industries that pay lakhs per month on their electricity bills are now leaning towards solar power to ease this incredible burden on their pockets.
India being a tropical country, will for eternity enjoy the benefit of having the sun shine on it abundantly. With the government of India and its citizens identifying this valuable asset, there is a fast yet steady shift in the trend toward using solar energy in India. That said, I, for one, am anticipating a future wherein the satellite image of India will show a country studded with solar panels. The future of solar energy in India is indeed bright.
Website: https://nimbussolar.in/
