BANGALORE, INDIA: Renewable energy has never ever had such a good time like this! A tremendous hype has already been built around solar photovoltaics. Several companies, in India, and elsewhere, have also jumped into the solar bandwagon.

To find out more about this boom in solar, I caught up with Dr. Ashok Das, managing director, Solar Solutions, a well know expert in this area. Excerpts from an interview:

CIOL: What are the reasons behind this 'sudden' interest in solar?

Dr. Ashok Das: The consumers do not yet drive the solar energy sector. Being energy, it is mostly driven by the government and its subsidies.

So, why has there been this sudden interest in solar? There are two reasons.

First, the climate change issue started getting center stage at world forums, leading to policies and targets to cut global warming, and hence, boosting renewable energy.

Second, the soaring oil prices and continued dependence on a few countries for oil has led to the realization of the energy security.

CIOL: What are the takeaways from Europe?

AD: Europe, particularly, has taken solar very seriously. They have been a leader in solar. Germany, for instance, gave away all of the necessary subsidies to attain energy security. These subsidies have led to the solar boom. It has also led to an increased R&D to bring down the cost of solar energy.

Nevertheless, there seems to be a bubble forming in this sector, like all other booms in the past. The industry will go through consolidation as the market matures.

CIOL: How does India compare currently?

AD: In India, steps are being taken to promote solar energy. As of now, the feed-in tariff is Rs. 15 for photovoltaics and Rs. 12 for thermal solar. The government also announced a mandatory 5 percent renewable energy mix in the electricity production.

The PMO has also issued a National Action Plan that has plans for boosting solar. These subsidies are driving some of the increased activities in India.

We need stronger lobbying so that better subsidies can come through. Therefore, most of the manufacturing activities in India are still driven by the export market.
 
CIOL: What needs to be done for the solar ecosystem in India?

AD: Coming to the solar ecosystem, we already make solar products, as well as the modules. We also have the capability to make cells. The only part missing has been wafer, the silicon for solar.

A few silicon factories should be coming up in India soon. So, India can easily establish the entire ecosystem for solar photovoltaics.

Postscript: More investments in solar today, in India. According to India Infoline, there have been three additional investments worth Rs. 55,000 crores.

Vavasi Telegence to invest Rs 39,000 crore for solar PV and polysilicon unit; EPV Solar to invest Rs 4,000 crore for solar PV unit; and Lanco Solar to invest Rs 12,938-crore for solar PV and polysilicon unit.