Harnessing Solar energy, Options for India

Solar thermal technologies have a natural advantage in India due to the fact that the average
radiation is 4.5 to 6 kWh/m 2 /day, with an average of 300 clear days in a year. 6 India targets
harnessing 20 million m 2 of solar thermal collector area by 2022. 7 However, the gross potential just
for solar water heaters is estimated to be l40 million m 2 . 8 The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar
Mission (JNNSM) targets for solar thermal collector area are outlined in Table 24. The JNNSM has
mostly focused on concentrated solar technologies and utility scale, but it is essential that the
advantages of solar thermal technology not be ignored. The capital subsidies provided for its use are
sufficient, but concerted efforts must be made by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE) to increase awareness and ensure that strong institutional mechanisms are in place for
sustainable operations. The applications for solar thermal technology include drying, large scale
cooking, water heating and industrial heat processing, and these have the potential to yield
enormous savings over conventional fuels. This chapter focuses on medium and high temperature
collectors, and discusses the potential of solar thermal technology in each of these areas, as well as
energy and cost implications.
Table 24: JNNSM Solar Thermal Targets
Current
JNNSM targets
Application
segment
status as of
30.6.2010*
Phase 1
(2010–13)
Phase 2
(2013-–17)
Phase 3
(2017–22)
Solar thermal
collectors 3.53 7 15 20
(million m 2 )
*This is entirely solar water heaters
1.1. Current Policy
The MNRE provides a capital subsidy of 30% of the normative capital cost. This is specified per
square metre of collector area for solar thermal collectors. The normative capital cost and the
subsidy are reviewed and revised annually. The capital subsidies for various collectors are:
For FPC with air as the working fluid, `2,400/m 2 ; and with water as the working fluid,
`3,300/m 2 .
For ETC, `3,000/m 2 .
Solar concentrator with a single-axis tracking system, `5,400/m 2 ; and double-axis tracking
system, `6,000/m 2 .
Solar concentrator with manual tracking system, `2,100/m 2 of collector area; and for solar
collector system for direct heating applications, `3,600/m 2 .
Soft loans are also available at a 5% interest rate, 9 which may be used towards the balance of the
system that comprises of installation, civil work for large systems and for accessories.
To meet the unmet demand for thermal energy or for electricity generation in un-electrified rural
areas, solar thermal power plants and local distribution networks are provided capital subsidies of
60% and soft loans at 5%. These may be in either standalone, or in co- or poly-generation mode.
Solar Thermal Applications CSTEP | Page 92