India: PM Modi For Affordable Solar Technology – OpEd
Even though pursuing a double policy of promoting Hindutva politics and allowing hate politics targeting Muslims, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on perpetual world tour, also talks about useful issues.
PM Modi has expressed his desire to make solar energy affordable so that common people could adopt solar energy use.
French President Emmanuel Macron is in India in connection with the first summit of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi. ISA, headquartered in Gurgaon near New Delhi, is now a treaty-based inter-governmental organisation that was established following the Paris Declaration as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries.
On his first visit to India after he assumed office in May 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron India and France inked, during just 11 minutes of their talks, total 14 pacts in the areas of railways, education and logistics support between the armed forces of the two nations. The leaders also assured to protect classified information, and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in civil nuclear power.
In this connection, speaking at the founding conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a 10-point action plan that includes making affordable solar technology available to all nations, raising the share of electricity generated from photovoltaic cells in the energy mix, framing regulations and standards, consultancy support for bankable solar projects and creating a network of centres for excellence.
Modi addressed the gathering first summit of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) held on Sunday and co-hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron saw 23 heads of nations and 10 ministerial representatives in attendance. Modi said that the Vedas consider the Sun the soul of the world and a life nurturer.
Today we need to look at this ancient idea to find a way to combat climate change. India will produce 175 gigawatts of electricity from renewable sources by 2022. Of this, 100 gigawatts will come from solar energy.
India has allowed France to use its airports for military purposes. Terms and conditions are not revealed. India’s greed or nuclear terror goods is well known.
Solar energy can have a variety of uses – agriculture, solar water pumps, clean cooking. The distribution of 28 crore LED bulbs in three years has saved $2 billion and four gigawatts of electricity. *The development of solar energy will not just lead to our prosperity, but will also reduce the carbon footprint of the earth. We must ensure that better and affordable solar technology is available to all. If we link other forms of energy to solar, the results will be even better. We need to encourage innovation in the solar energy sector to find different uses for it. For the good of humanity, we will have to move out of the personal and work as a family to achieve our aim”
PM Modi has also called for concessional and less-risky finances for raising the share of solar electricity in the energy mix and pledged to generate 175 gigawatts (GW) of electricity in India from renewable energy sources by 2022.
For achieving the ISA target of over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity and mobilization of investment of over USD 1 trillion by 2030, Modi called for concessional financing and less-risky funds being made available for such projects.
India, PM Modiji said, will generated 175 GW of electricity from renewable sources including 100 GW from solar.
As a demonstration of India’s commitment to ISA, Modi said 500 training slots will be created for member countries and a solar technology mission will be started to lead R&D in the sector. ISA secretariat has to be strengthened and made professional, he said, adding that solar energy presents a permanent, affordable and reliable source for meeting energy needs of mankind.
To supplement solar energy generation, India has distributed 28 crore LED bulbs in the last three years which have helped save USD 2 billion and 4 GW of electricity, the prime minister said.
Going by his actions so far, like the black money and demonetization and GST – people of India gained nothing out of all this but the demonetization has harmed the people just like the GST move as they are burdened with more problems and expenditures. Modi considers Indian as being equals of Americans and they have to pay more as the impression goes.
The PM speaks of innovation in solar energy. But the government’s approach is anywhere but being innovative. When it comes to solar energy the government has a blinkered view of encouraging only photovoltaic and selling the country to China. Why is the government blind to CSP technologies which can be indigenized to a much greater extent and generate employment on a much larger scale?
All said and done, if solar energy is subsidized for the poor and common people that would benefit India in a great measure.
But will the USA, now a big strategic partner of India, allow subsidies to be given to the poor?
That is indeed the trillion dollar question.
