That traditional sources of global power are depleting is a well established fact. That the world needs enhanced focus on alternatives like solar and wind energy is also well established. In theory. Given the nature and attitude of governments across the world, barring few, one could be forgiven for thinking that this is all rhetoric and no action.
In theory at least, solar energy found another erudite supporter when W.S. Aruldoss Kanthiah, former director, Department of Atomic Energy, laid power to the fact that India, if at all it has to have any success in dealing with its current power woes, has to focus on solar energy because that it where its future lies.
Kanthiah was speaking at the forum, ‘Energy option for India’ recently. In his address, he gave the audience a detailed presentation that was backed by fact what he tried to explain in theory. In his address, he also focused on the growing Indian population and the consequent rise in power consumption, the need for the development of the sector, concluding that the best way India could give its citizens some kind of security where energy is concerned was through the development of solar energy in a more focused manner.
According to facts he put forward in his presentation, the current Indian per capita consumption of electricity stands to be considerably less at 778 kWh/year (2011-12 data) vis-à-vis the current global consumption that stands at 2,875 kWh/year (2011-12 data). He also predicted that at six per cent growth in GDP would automatically signify a nine per cent increase in energy demand.
The final point he made was the fact that there is higher energy usage intensity per household in India, when compared with western counterparts also is suggestive of the fact that the current wastage in India is a lot higher. This is something that needs tightening, along with the development of solar energy he said.
