This documents can help you to create a basic concept about solar energy, it's applications, advantages and disadvantages etc.in Indian perspective.

1. Renewable Energy Sources
(Solar Energy)

2.  Definition of Energy :-
 Energy may be defined as “any property which can be
converted into work” or it can be defined as “the capacity
to do work”.
 Forms of Energy :-
 Energy is available on earth in a number of forms, such
as – radiation, chemical, potential, kinetic, thermal etc.
Out of them some forms may be used immediately while
others might require some transformation.
 Types of Energy :-
 Generally, we can break energy into two broad categories
of resources – i)non-renewable and ii)renewable.

3. i) Non-renewable Energy :-
 Non-renewable energy sources are natural resources, that
can’t be regenerated once they are exhausted. In other
words, they are finite, and there is no known way for them to
be replenished on a human timescale. These kind of energy
are made from fossil fuel. Example – coal, oil, natural gas
etc.
ii) Renewable Energy :-
 Renewable energy includes those resources that can be
generated continuously and are inexhaustible. In other
words, renewable energy is energy that is collected from
renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a
human timescale. Such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal
heat etc.

4. What is solar energy?
 Solar energy originates with the
thermonuclear fusion reactions occurring
in the sun.
 Represents the entire electromagnetic
radiation (such as – visible light, ultraviolet
rays, x-rays, radio waves etc.)
 The energy consists of radiant light and
energy from the sun.
 Out of all energy emitted by sun only a
small fraction of energy is absorbed by the
earth.
 Just this tiny fraction of the sun’s energy is
enough to meet all our power needs.

5.  Why we should use solar energy?
 The fossil fuel are non-renewable sources of energy, so we can’t depend on
them for ever.
 Though nuclear energy is a clean and green energy, as said by Dr. A. P. J
Abdul Kalam, there are always some problems associated with it.
 So, the only option we have is solar energy because it is a nonpolluting and
silent source of electricity and also low maintenance and long lasting
energy.

6.  Applications of solar power: -
Photovoltaic cells: -
Photovoltaic cells or solar cells uses light energy (photons) from the Sun to
generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect. So Photovoltaic
cell can be used in various ways like -
Rooftop and building integrated systems:-
Residential buildings typically feature a capacity of about 5 to 20
kilowatts (kW), while those mounted on commercial buildings often
reach 100 kilowatts or more.
Photovoltaic power station:- Kamuthi Solar Power
Project – 648MW – India. The facility in Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu, has a
capacity of 648 megawatts and covers an area of 10 kilometres squares.
This makes it the largest solar power plant at a single location, taking
the title from the Topaz Solar Farm in California, which has a capacity
of 550 MW.

7.  Rural electrification: -
Developing countries where many villages are often more than five
kilometres away from grid power are increasingly using photovoltaics.
In remote locations in India a rural lighting program has been providing
solar powered LED lighting to replace kerosene lamps.
 Telecommunication and signalling: -
Solar PV power is ideally suited for telecommunication applications such
as local telephone exchange, radio and TV broadcasting, microwave and
other forms of electronic communication links.
 Spacecraft applications: -
Solar panels on spacecraft are usually the sole source of power to run
the sensors, active heating and cooling, and communications. A battery
stores this energy for use when the solar panels are in shadow. In some,
the power is also used for spacecraft propulsion—electric propulsion.
(a method which uses electric energy to change or accelerate the velocity
of a spacecraft or satellite)

8. ♦ Solar thermal energy: -
Solar thermal technology uses the sun's energy, rather than fossil fuels,
to generate low-cost, environmentally friendly thermal energy. The
applications of solar thermal energy are -
 Solar drying: -
Solar thermal energy can be useful for drying wood for construction.
Crop drying by solar means is environmentally friendly as well as cost
effective while improving the quality.
 Cooking: -
Solar cookers use sunlight for cooking, drying and pasteurization. Solar
cooking offsets fuel costs, reduces demand for fuel or firewood, and
improves air quality by reducing or removing a source of smoke.
 Distillation: -
Solar stills can be used to make drinking water in areas where clean
water is not common. Solar energy heats up the water in the still. The
water then evaporates and condenses on the bottom of the covering
glass.

9.  Space heating and ventilating: -
Space heating for residential and commercial applications can be done through
the use of solar air heating panels. This configuration operates by drawing air
from the building envelope or from the outdoor environment and passing it
through the collector where the air warms via conduction from the absorber
and is then supplied to the living or working space by either passive means or
with the assistance of a fan.
 Electricity production
For electricity production, high temperature solar thermal system called
concentrated solar power (CSP) use groups in mirrors to concentrate solar
energy on a solar collector. This produces temperature high enough to produce
steam which then turns a turbine driving a generator to produce electricity.

10. Advantages of Solar Energy: -
 Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse
gases to be emitted after installation.
 It reduces dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels.
 It is renewable and clean power which available
everyday of the year ,even cloudy days produces some
power.
 It returns on investment unlike paying for utility bills.
 It creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers,
solar installers etc .By this, it helps the economy.
 It can be installed virtually any where; in a field to on a
building.
 It uses batteries to store extra power for use at night.
 It can be used to heat water, power homes and building
even in power cars.

11. Disadvantages of Solar Energy: -
 It requires high initial costs for material and
installation.
 There is no solar power at night so ,need for a
large battery bank
 It devices that run on DC power directly are more
expensive.
 Its depending on geographical location the size of
solar panels vary for the same power generation.
 The cloudy days do not produce much energy.
 Solar panels are not being massed produce due to
lack of material and technology to lower the
costs.
 It gives lower production during winter months.

12.  Solar energy in India: -
 India receives adequate solar radiation for 300
days
 This amounts to 3,000 hours of sunshine
equivalent to over 5,000 trillion kWh.
 Initiatives by Indian government: -
 Jawaharlal Nehru national solar mission
 which is also known as national solar mission
 One of the initiatives under NAPCC
 Inaugurated on 11th January, 2010 with a target
of 20GW by 2022
 This was later increased to 100GW in 2015
union budget of India

13.  Targets: -
MW
MW MW
MW MW
MW
Sq.m Sq.m Sq.m

14.  Solar state policy: -
 Gujarat was the first state to launch its solar policy in
2009
 Today, total 15 states have their own solar energy policy.
 Solar city programme: -
 Aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of
conventional energy at the end of five years
 Population between 0.5 to 50 lakh
 Financial support up to of 50 lakh for each city
 Solar park scheme: -
 MNRE plans to set up 25 solar parks, each with a
capacity of 500 MW and above
 Currently 10 solar parks ultra mega solar power projects
are proposed in India
 The proposed solar park at Karnataka would be among
world’s largest facility if its kind with capacity of
2000MW.

15. Thank You…