ANNOUNCEMENTS
With the increasing population and development in economies, energy demand is increasing. In order to pace the development, energy would be the first and the foremost requirement. However, 70% of the demand for energy is catered by conventional sources, so far. The consumption of these conventional sources release harmful gases like carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHG). This has led to the deterioration of the environment. In order to meet the increasing demand, countries have been tapping renewable energy sources that not only help in electricity production but also are less polluting in nature. India is a sun blessed country, which makes solar energy a viable option. With recent developments and innovations along with government reforms and policies, solar energy capacity in India has increased multifold. Solar energy technologies are land intensive in nature. Large size solar plants require approximately 1.5 hectares of land per megawatt. Land being a scarce resource has to be optimally utilized. Decentralized solar energy options can solve the land problems, as these plants don’t require fresh infrastructure and it can be built on home / buildings. Another way to solve the land problem is using wasteland as an alternative source. However, we have to assess the impact of these solar plants that they have on the society, the eco-system and then analyze and zero in on which alternative would suit the best.
Keywords: Solar parks, Decentralized solar options, Centralized solar options.
