a haunting question for solar blog.sunipod.com - apr 28 2014

A Haunting Question for Solar

Published on blog.sunipod.co

Recently, an online solar forum

spoke about how easy it was to satisfy India’s entire power needs by installing solar PV

power on an extremely small area of the country.

Among the responses to the article

question. Here it is;

“How does one maintain the power supp

The question was asked, in all earnestness, and mea

the solar industry. For the solar community however, this is an important question. One

that haunts the solar market and the solar business

of solar energy being used to balance out the co

addressed; and one that may have a simple answer;

“Just like they do today…for now

Actually, this form of question is perennial to all forms of power generation.

A Haunting Question for Solar

om on April 28th 2014 by Abhishek Gupta

Recently, an online solar forum was discussing potential for solar power in


extremely small area of the country.

Among the responses to the article, was an interesting comment, in the form of a

ow does one maintain the power supply when the sun goes down

The question was asked, in all earnestness, and meant no malice towards anyone in


that haunts the solar market and the solar business; yet seeks to address the core issue

of solar energy being used to balance out the country’s energy needs. One that must be

; and one that may have a simple answer;

…for now!!!”

question is perennial to all forms of power generation.

of 2

was discussing potential for solar power in India; it


in the form of a

y when the sun goes down?”

nt no malice towards anyone in


to address the core issue

One that must be

question is perennial to all forms of power generation.

• How does one maintain power supply

without mining or polluting?

• How does one maintain power supply or even

power plants when you don't have access to nuclear material or technology, or

without risking lives?

• How does one generate power

destroying thousands of acres of land and potentially displacing huge

communities from their ancestral roots?

• How does one maintain the power supply

blowing?

• How does one maintain the power supply from flow of the river hydro

river runs low or dry?

Often, the question isn’t just, C

Every other form of power generation has some limitations or negative impact associate

with it. While the point is well taken that solar power generation needs solar radiation

which is unavailable at night. Once out of the urban mindset;

the only equipment that consume electricity

one might be able to take a bird’s

country. This view will clearly show that that power consumption is much higher during

the day time hours than at night.

PV, not requiring any kind of storage. At the very least this solar electricity will power up

most of our daytime load.

However it is true that power is

companies, and many scientists are working on safe, quality and efficient

technology, which like the electric vehicle

required.

Governments have subsidized most industries at their nascent stages, in one fo

another. Yet, the solar industry isn’t simply resting on handouts. It is continuously

innovating newer, more efficient solar technologies while rapidly

solar solutions.

Solar PV is definitely no magic pill;

solar component in the energy portfolio

component.

Until that is achieved, the point is well taken and fosters an important discussion

Tell us how you would address this questio

does one maintain power supply from coal plants where there is no coal or

without mining or polluting?

does one maintain power supply or even generate power from nuclear


generate power or maintain power supply from dams without


communities from their ancestral roots?

does one maintain the power supply from wind farms when the wind is not

does one maintain the power supply from flow of the river hydro

Can you…but Should you?


point is well taken that solar power generation needs solar radiation

. Once out of the urban mindset; that air conditioners are

the only equipment that consume electricity, and that they are needed to sleep at night,

bird’s eye view of the power consumption patterns in the


than at night. This is synchronous with power generation using solar


However it is true that power is also consumed during the night; and for that

and many scientists are working on safe, quality and efficient

like the electric vehicle, will deliver stored solar energy

Governments have subsidized most industries at their nascent stages, in one fo

the solar industry isn’t simply resting on handouts. It is continuously

innovating newer, more efficient solar technologies while rapidly driving down costs of

PV is definitely no magic pill; but the right way forward is to gradually expand the

solar component in the energy portfolio mix, eventually eliminating the fossil power

the point is well taken and fosters an important discussion

Tell us how you would address this question.

of 2

there is no coal or

generate power from nuclear


from dams without


when the wind is not

does one maintain the power supply from flow of the river hydro when the


point is well taken that solar power generation needs solar radiation

that air conditioners are

and that they are needed to sleep at night,

eye view of the power consumption patterns in the


This is synchronous with power generation using solar


and for that, scores of

and many scientists are working on safe, quality and efficient solar battery

stored solar energy as and when

Governments have subsidized most industries at their nascent stages, in one form or

the solar industry isn’t simply resting on handouts. It is continuously

driving down costs of

is to gradually expand the

the fossil power

the point is well taken and fosters an important discussion.

a haunting question for solar blog.sunipod.com - apr 28 2014

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