Solar Energy: A Cost-

Effective Comparison
with Conventional
Energy Sources
Solar Energy : What is it and how is it us
ed?
Solar energy, radiation from the Sun is capable of producing heat,
causing chemical reactions, or generating electricity. The total
amount of solar energy incidents on Earth is vastly in excess of the
world’s current and anticipated energy requirements. If suitably
harnessed, this highly diffused source has the potential to satisfy all
future energy needs.
Solar Energy Potential
The potential for solar energy is enormous, since about 2
00,000 times the world’s total daily electric-generating
capacity is received by Earth every day in the form of solar
energy.
Unfortunately, though solar energy itself is free, the high
cost of its collection, conversion, and storage still limits
its exploitation in many places.
 Harnessing Solar Energy for Use
Solar energy can be harnessed and converted either into
thermal energy (heat) or into electrical energy by using S
olar thermal capture and Photovoltaics.
 Photovoltaic Solar Energy
PV materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. A single PV
device is known as a cell and is usually small, typically producing about 1 or
2 watts of power. These cells are made of different semiconductor
materials and are often less than the thickness of four human hairs. To
withstand the outdoors for many years, cells are sandwiched between
protective materials in a combination of glass and/or plastics.

By connecting large numbers of individual cells together, however, as in

solar-panel arrays, hundreds or even thousands of kilowatts of electric
power can be generated in a solar electric plant or in a large household
array.

PV modules and arrays are just one part of a PV system. Systems also
include mounting structures that point panels toward the sun, along with
the components that take the direct-current (DC) electricity produced by
modules and convert it to the alternating-current (AC) electricity used to
power all of the appliances in
your home.
Solar Cell
• When sunlight strikes a solar
cell, an electron is freed by the
photoelectric effect.
• The two dissimilar
semiconductors possess a
natural difference in electric
potential (voltage), which causes
the electrons to flow through
the external circuit, supplying
power to the load.
 • The flow of electricity results from the characteristics of the se miconductors and
is powered entirely by light striking the cell

How does it work?

Incoming sunlight strikes the semiconductor material and knocks electrons
loo se, Tiny packets of light energy called photons are captured by electrons,
and impart enough energy to kick the electron free of its host atom, setting
them motion and generating an electric current that can be captured with
wiring This current is known as Direct current (DC) electricity and must be
converted to Alternating (AC) electricity using a solar inverter. This conversion
is necessary
 Solar Thermal Energy
Solar thermal energy (STE) is a form of energy and a technology for
harnessing solar energy to generate thermal energy for use in industry, and
in the residential and commercial sectors.
The basic principle of solar thermal heating is to utilize the sun’s energy and
convert it into heat which is then transferred into your home or business
heating system in the form of hot water and space heating.
The main source of heat generation is through roof mounted solar panels w
hich are used in conjunction with a boiler, collector or immersion heater. Th
e solar collector will use the sun’s rays to heat a transfer fluid which is usual
ly a mixture of water and glycol (antifreeze) which prevents the water from
freezing. The heated water from the collectors is pumped to a heat exchang
er which would be inside the the water tank in your home. The heat from t
he exchanger will then heat the water inside the tank. After the liquid relea
ses its heat, the water will flow back to the collectors for reheating. A contr
oller will ensure that the fluid will circulate to the collector when there is su
fficient heat available.
 Other Applications
• Solar energy is also used on a small scale for purposes other than
those described above. In some countries, for instance, solar
energy is used to produce salt from seawater by evaporation.
Similarly, solar-powered desalination units transform salt water
into drinking water by converting the Sun’s energy to heat,
directly or indirectly, to drive the desalination process.
• Solar technology has also emerged for the clean and renewable
production of hydrogen as an alternative energy source. Mimic
king the process of photosynthesis, artificial leaves are silicon-
based devices that use solar energy to split water into hydrogen
and oxygen, leaving virtually no pollutants. Further work is
needed to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these
devices for industrial use.
Conventional Energy
•The conventional sources of energy are generally non-renewable sources
of energy, which have been used since a long time. These sources of
energy are being used extensively in such a way that their known reserves
have been largely depleted.

•There are four major types of nonrenewable resources: oil, natural gas,
coal, and nuclear energy. Oil, natural gas, and coal are collectively called
fossil fuels. Fossil fuels were formed within the Earth from dead plants and
animal s over millions of years—hence the name “fossil” fuels. They are
found in underground layers of rock and sediment. Pressure and heat
worked together to transform the plant and animal remains into crude oil
(also known as petroleum), coal, and natural gas.

•Unfortunately, human society is—for the time being—dependent on

nonrenewable resources as its primary source of energy. Approximately 80
percent of the total amount of energy used globally each year comes from
fossil fuels. We depend on fossil fuels because they are energy-rich and
 relatively cheap to
process. But a major
problem with fossil
fuels, aside from
their being in
limited supply, is
that burning
them releases
carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.
Rising levels of
heat- trapping
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the main cause of global warming.
InIndiamostofthepowergenerationiscarriedoutbyconventional energy
sources, coal and mineral oil-based power plants which contribute
heavily to greenhouse gases emissions. Setting up new power plants is
inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. Thus, it is
essential to tackle the energy crisis through judicious utilization of
abundant renewable energy resources

Environmental Problems
• Conventional energy sources can cause several different types of pollution. Some
of the most common ones are air pollution, acid rain, and greenhouse gasses. As a
result of fossil fuel combustion, chemicals and particulates are released into the
atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
hydrocar bon, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide.
• Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of incomplete combustion and occurs when car
bon in the fuel is partially oxidized rather than fully oxidized to carbon dioxide.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a “greenhouse gas” that traps the Earth’s heat and
contributes to the potential for global warming.
• Hydrocarbon emissions result when fuel molecules in the engine do not burn or
burn only partially. Hydrocarbons react in the presence of nitrogen oxides and
sunlight to form ground-level ozone, a major component of smog.
• Nitrogen oxide (NOx), when under the high-pressure and temperature conditions i
n an engine, nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the air react to form various nitrogen ox
ides, collectively known as NOx. Nitrogen oxides, like hydrocarbons, are precursors
to the formation of ozone. They also contribute to the formation of acid rain.
• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) contributes to acid rain.
Comparison of Conventional and Non-Conventional energy
sources
 Is Solar Energy cost effective as other Conventional
Energy Sources?
Doesn't accessing power straight from the source make more sense than pa
ying for it indirectly from you local powerplant. Clearly Solar Energy is more
cost-effective than 'regular' or 'standard electricity'. According to World Eco
nomic Forum (WEF), installing new Solar panels is cheaper than a
comparable investment in coal, natural gas or other fossil fuel options.
Another way to think about it is that the sun is always available. It takes a
lot of work to produce electricity, but when you set up your very own
private powerplant on the roof of your house, that is the definition of
efficiency.
 Advantages of Solar Energy
• Solar power is pollution-free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation
• Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels
• Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even cloudy days produce som e
power
• Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills
• Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
• Excess power can be sold back to the power company if the grid inner tied
• Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home/building
• Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building
• Use batteries to store extra power for use at night
• Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and buildings, even power cars
• Safer than traditional electric current
• Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available today will become more
efficient tomorrow
• Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile compared to older models; i.e. prin
ting, flexible, solar shingles, etc.
• Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs are available to help with initial costs

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

• High initial costs for material and installation and long ROI
• Weather dependent
• Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
• No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank
• Some people think they are ugly
• Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive
• Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary
for the same power generation
• Cloudy days do not produce as much energy
• Solar panels are not being massed produced due to a lack of material
and technology to lower the cost enough to be more affordable
• Lower solar production in the winter months
Benefits of Solar Energy

Solar energy grants both short and long term benefits to the consumers

Short-Term Benefits of Solar Power

One of the greatest and most immediate benefits to using solar power is no
t having to worry about running out. Solar energy is renewable, so every da
y with at least moderate sunlight your solar energy system is storing energy
for future use.It also means reducing your carbon footprint that much mor
e since you’re not regularly burning fossil fuel for heat.

Long-Term Benefits of Solar Power

If your solar energy system can provide more energy than what you need t
o power your own home, you could actually receive a check rather than a b
ill from your local utility company drawing the excess energy from your sola
r panels. When a utility company negotiates with you to pay you for the ext
ra energy you’re producing, it’s called net metering. Over time, this could a
dd up to be a significant amount of money and would allow your solar pow
er system to pay for itself eventually.

Solar Power Statistics in India

 Solar Energy in India
Indian renewable energy sector is the fourth most attractive
renewable energy market in the world. India was ranked fourth in
wind power, fifth in solar power and fourth in renewable power
installed capacity, as of 2020.
Over the past decade, a lot of things has changed in the Indian solar
market. After a significant policy reshuffling by current government
and increasing adaptation of Solar energy throughout the country has
proved to be the right move towards achieving renewable energy
solutions.
With the increased support of Government and improved economics,
the sector has become attractive from investors perspective.
The government is aiming to achieve 227 GW of renewable energy
capacity (including 114 GW of solar capacity addition and 67 GW of
win d power capacity) by 2022, more than its 175 GW target as per
the Paris Agreement.

Market Size
• As of July 2021, India had 96.96 GW of renewable energy capacity, and
represents 25.2% of the overall installed power capacity, providing a great
opportunity for the expansion of green data centers.
• The country is targeting about 450 Gigawatt (GW) of installed renewable
energy capacity by 2030 – about 280 GW (over 60%) is expected from solar.
• Installed renewable power-generation capacity has increased at a fast pace
over the past few years, posting a CAGR of 15.51% between FY16 and FY21.
India had 94.4 GW of renewable energy capacity in FY21.
• In July 2021, installed capacity of hydro projects in India reached to 46.3
GW , while capacity of small hydro plants reached to 4.8 GW.
• By December 2019, 15,100 megawatts (MW) of wind power projects were
is sued, of which, projects of 12,162.50 MW capacity have already been
award ed2. Power generation from renewable energy sources in India
reached 127. 01 billion units (BU) in FY20.
• With a potential capacity of 363 GW and with policies focused on the renew
able energy sector, Northern India is expected to become the hub for renew
able energy in India.
 Competitive
Landscape
The Solar energy market in India is
fragmented.
Some of the major companies
operating in the market include
•Adani Group
•EMMVEE SOLAR
•Azure Power Global Limited,
•Jinko Solar Holdings Co. Ltd
•First Solar Inc.

Solar Energy Growth Statistics

India continues to add renewable energy capacity to its overall energy m
ix.
According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India,
as of March 2021, had a total installed capacity of more than 40 GW of
solar energy. Moreover, India is endowed with a very vast solar energy
potential. The average solar radiation incident over the land is in the
range of 4-7 kWh per day.
Solar power played an almost non-existent role in the Indian energy mix
until 2007.
With the government promoting solar installations in the rural areas by
providing subsidized solar panels and another incentive, the solar PV
installation is expected to increase during the forecast period and drive
the market.
 Solar Energy Production Statist ics
• As of July 2021, India had 96.96 GW of renewable energy
capacity, and represents 25.2% of the overall installed
power capacity, providing a great opportunity for the
expansion of green data center’s.
• The country is targeting about 450 Gigawatt (GW) of
installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 – about 280
GW (over 60%) is expected from solar.
 Economic Index of Solar Energy
• Renewable energy has secured a prominent place in the Indian energy
space to its low-cost power generation capacity.
• India's new status as the cheapest solar energy producer has further
created a shift towards complete reliance on renewable energy.
• Cost for setting up Solar PV projects in India dropped by nearly 80%
between 2010 and 2018.
• The initiatives taken by the government of India as early as 2010,
fostered consistent growth in the solar energy segment.
• The encouraging surge in the energy sector had further helped the
solar industry to get the cost advantage through the economies of
scale in a short period.
• Despite Covid-19, for the period starting January 2020 till Sep 2020, ab
out 2320 MW of solar capacity comprising 1437 MW of Ground
Mount ed Solar and 883 MW of Rooftop Solar was added in India
 Indian States leading in Solar Power
1) Rajasthan —7737 MW
2) Karnataka — 7469 MW
3) Gujarat — 5708 MW
4) Tamil Nadu — 4675 MW
5) Andhra Pradesh — 4380 MW
6) Telangana — 3992 MW
7) Maharashtra — 2444 MW
 Recent Developments
• With the recent surge (2nd Wave) in COVID-19 cases in April 2021, India is
expected to delay nearly 4 GW of solar PV projects with the planned
commission in 2021 and these are expected to get commissioned in
2022.Moreover, there will again be a delay in the project commissioning
schedule f or utility-scale solar projects because of lack of labor and delay
in equipment supply due to lockdown in different states. Even the rooftop
market is likely to face payment issues for OPEX projects with the
uncertainty looming over full or partial closure of manufacturing and
business units which might also add to liquidity crunch woes.

• In March 2021, Delhi-based Solar Arise India Projects Pvt Ltd has
commissioned a 75-MW solar park in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
 The photovoltaic (PV) facility is operated by SolarArise through Talettutayi
Solar Projects Two Pvt Ltd and is capable of generating 120 million kWh
per year.
• In April 2021, Indian renewables developer Adani Green Energy Ltd
commissioned a 50-MW solar farm in Chitrakoot, in India’s Uttar Pradesh
state. The solar farm will operate under a 25-year power purchase
agreement (PPA) with the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited
(UPPCL) for INR 3.07 (US D 0.041/EUR 0.0343) per kWh.

• In June 2021, Norwegian renewable power producer Scatec ASA announce

d its first project in India i.e., a 900-MW solar partnership with local
developer ACME Group. The construction of the facility is seen to begin in
2021 and completion is scheduled for 2022. Once up and running, the
plant is expected to generate 1,600 GWh a year and will be selling the
output to Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) under a 25-year power
purchase agreement (PPA) won in a 2018 tender.
 Future of Solar Industry
Solar can be considered the way of the future due to its versatility. This
means that wherever people choose to live their lives, solar energy will
always be there to help. For example, for those who are living in a place
with no for of electricity, such as in rural communities, using solar panels
can bring renewable energy to them without hassle.

The Future of Solar Energy considers only the two widely recognized classes
of technologies for converting solar energy into electricity — photovoltaics
(PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP), sometimes called solar thermal)
in their current and plausible future forms. Because energy supply facilities
typically last several decades, technologies in these classes will dominate
solar-powered generation between now and 2050, and we do not attempt t
o look beyond that date.

Conclusion
You’ve just learned the important benefits of installing solar energy. A home
solar energy can help homeowners save more money with lower utility bills
and incentives. Solar energy is a worthwhile investment not only for
homeowners but also for investors and businesses. Like construction
companies, businesses can use solar energy to power up tools and
machinery to red use operating costs.

Using solar energy helps save the environment by reducing gas emissions
and reducing carbon footprint. Also, it promotes better health because of
fewer air contaminants produced. It can be a versatile source of energy
wherever you are in the world and Indeed, solar has a bright future with
plenty of promising benefits to humanity