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A solar explosion
on the earth:
the challenge ahead in Asia
The unprecedented fall in the cost of solar power has triggered a wave of initiatives
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enabling infrastructure. Above all, the basic technology itself would need upgrading
WRLPSURYHQRWRQO\LWVSRZHUHIFLHQF\EXWDGGUHVVWKHKLGGHQGDQJHURIHQYLURQPHQtal pollution resulting from the production of solar cells. The author has brought out
the unique challenges facing Asia in realising solar power on a massive scale, which
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The world is moving more quickly towards renewable energy than people thought
even a year ago.
-- Grant King, CEO, Origin Energy, Australian Energy Utility (2016).
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the biggest in the world.
Another innovative plant
is erected on the downstream
slope of a dam across a river
in Maharashtra. The 20-MW
solar plant has been built by
Rays Power Experts, a solar
solutions company.
Where land is available,
it would be useful to see the
VFRSH IRU LQFUHDVLQJ WKH HIciency of solar power generation, by trying out innovative
ideas such as locating the heat
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head.
Utilisation of solar power
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users is as challenging as the
cost-effective production of the
energy. Indias ongoing plans
in this respect would be of interest. One of the key applica-
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shows the
way!
Solar power
round-the-clock!
Storage of solar power
generated is a challenge. An
innovative project has come
up in Spain. It is the worlds
UVW FRPPHUFLDOVFDOH VRlar tower and storage plant
that has provided non-stop
24-hour power - 19.9MW throughout the year. It started operating in May 2011,
two months after the Fukushima nuclear plants meltdown.
Called Gemasolar, the
plant has a 140-m solar tower, surrounded by 2650 heOLRVWDWVPLUURUVWKDWUHHFW
the heat of the sun on to a
collector near the top of the
tower. The plant has stored
molten salt, which is heated
to 565 degrees Celsius and
creates steam for a conventional turbine.
The plant is followed up
by 100 MW plants in Spain
and another 150 MW plant
in Morocco. The builders had
to quell rumours that the
plant killed birds, blinded pilots and needed gas back-up!
In the United States too,
a similar plant has been a
success. A solar tower with
thermal storage, built by Solar Reserve, a private company, has started generating at
its full 110 MW capacity for
supply even at night time to
Las Vegas and other parts of
Nevada. Known as Crescent
Dunes, it has molten salt receiver - a key patented component - that has reportedly
exceeded the design expectations.
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rooftop solar system in Mumbai. The meter in the system
can record the import and export of power and a consumer
can drive surplus units generated by solar units into the
distribution grid of the company for future adjustment
in billing the dues. A similar
network for rural areas could
be explored.
China, which has established a world record of installed solar power for a country, also dominates the solar
photovoltaic market in the
$VLD3DFLFUHJLRQ7KHFRXQtry has been able to deliver
cost-effective products mainly
because of its use of amorphous silicon (which does not
have a crystalline structure),
which is cheaper to produce,
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per cent. Chinese researchers
have undertaken research using other materials like thin
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SRZHUZLWKLQFUHDVHGHIFLHQcy.
One estimate forecast that
the electricity demand in China is not likely to go up beyond
4 per cent this year (2016) and
in several regions the capacity may not be fully utilised!
But given the potential of the
application of solar energy in
various sectors, it would be
reasonable to envisage full
utilisation of the power output.
The cost effectiveness of
solar power has triggered initiatives across Asia to utilise it
as quickly as possible though
each country has its own limitations.
With the average cost of
solar power in the Asian re-
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sunlight into electricity, another area calls for R&D. It is
ironical that the production of
solar power, used to reduce the
damage to the environment
caused by fossil fuels, should
lead to another environmental problem. It is in the form
of toxic chemicals used in the
production of polysilicon.
An Environmental Time
bomb
Solar tower with mirrors, Spain
The countryside in China
made
a
stack
of
two
one-moleis
getting
polluted with nuUS$ One trillion by 2030. It is
H[SHFWHG WR EHQHW PHP- cule thick materials from gra- merous dangerous chemicals.
ber countries, mostly within phene and molybdenum and They include silicon tetrachlothe region bound by the Tropic produced a robust cell, which ULGH VXOSKXU KH[DXRULGH
of Cancer and the Tropic of is thousands of times thinner gallium arsenide, cadmium
Capricorn and enjoy bright than conventional silicon solar telluride, sulphur diselenide,
sunshine for over 300 days in cells. China too has made na- KH[DXRULGH VHOHQLXP K\a year. The mandate of the Al- noscale solar cells, which are GULGHQLWURJHQWULXRULGHLQliance includes universal ac- less than 100th thickness of a GLXP SKRVSKLGH K\GURXRULF
DFLG DQG KH[DXRURHWKDQH
cess to affordable, reliable and piece of paper.
These chemicals seep into the
Meanwhile,
a
multi-discimodern energy services and
upgrading of technology. The plinary engineering team at ground and it is a matter of
Alliance can provide in the the University of Caltech, San WLPHEHIRUHWKH\QGWKHLUZD\
UVW LQVWDQFH WHFKQLFDO DVVLV- Diego, has developed a new RXW WKURXJK VK DQG SODQW WR
tance to member countries to nano particle-based material humans at home and abroad.
for absorbing and converting It is an environmental timeascertain their priorities.
to heat more than 90 per cent bomb literally buried under the
Role of Nanotechnology
As the current wave of so- of sunlight it captures. The ground for the time being.
The emergence of super
lar power takes hold, it is nec- WHFKQRORJ\ FDQ UHWURW H[LVWessary to explore the scope for ing fossil fuel based plants bugs that may defy the hureviewing the basic technology with the new material. Use of man immune system cannot
that sustains it. Nanotech- molten salt for heating in ther- be ruled out. It would therenology offers the best scope. mal storage will ensure supply fore be a wise move to initiate
There is need to enhance the at night also. Stanford Uni- studies to address the problem
HQHUJ\ HIFLHQF\ RI WKH VRODU versity has developed a new of polluting chemicals involved
cell, which is now a maximum way to increase the amount in the technologies used to
of 33.5 per cent per solar pan- RIOLJKWDEVRUEHGE\WKLQOP produce solar power. In fact,
solar cell materials. Boston this is an area where the Alel.
Several American and College and MIT have report- liance for Solar Power can
Chinese universities and a few ed an innovation: a better take the lead role. And India,
Indian institutes are studying light-absorbing surface with Singapore and other countries
the scope for improvement. enhanced nano structured can contribute their expertise
MIT (USA) has shown how thermo-electric materials. It in nano technology to address
the use of nanotechnology can will generate both electricity the problem.
(The author is a wellproduce thinnest and most and hot water.
As new technologies are known science writer)
light-weight solar panels pos
developed
and used in improvsible. Its researchers have