India aims to generate 20,000 MW of solar power by 2022 as part of its ambitious solar energy mission. The government has initiated talks with the US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to use its prototype 1 MW-capacity rooftop storage battery to meet the country's growing energy demand and its ambitious solar energy plans.
The 1 MW rooftop storage batteries will come in handy in supplying electricity to homes, offices and villages across the country.
With the help of solar panels a rooftop battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy and stores up to 1 MW, or one million watts, for supplying uninterrupted power to cities, an entire district or even a cluster of villages across the country.
Initially, the ministry will fund a pilot project that will be implemented jointly by the state-run BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd) and NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) at select sites to evaluate the cost and the quality of energy generated to ensure uninterrupted supply to low-tension power users.
“We can supply power from storage battery directly through a local grid on stand-alone basis or pool it with national grid to rationalise its generation cost with that of thermal or hydro power, which are cheaper to produce," said power secretary H S Brahma.
Local grids could well be the way to address the unmet needs of 400 millions and more with no access to electricity. But 20 GW by 2022 could be a tall order unless private players enter the arena in a big way. What do you think? Are the inducements enough?
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