Answer: 

Introduction:

Solar energy is a major component of India’s renewable energy portfolio, owing to its vast potential with a solar energy availability of 4000 trillion KWh per year. India has committed to generating 100 GW of solar power out of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 under the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Currently, India has an installed solar capacity of 43 GW.

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Regional variations:

• Desert areas of Rajasthan and Kutch, which have barren lands and receive high insolation, are considered ideal for solar energy generation.
• Himalayan and north-eastern regions have a lower potential for solar energy generation due to their low insolation levels and challenging terrain.
• Coastal states like Kerala have moderate solar energy generation potential due to the long monsoon season compared to heartland states.
• States closer to the tropics, which receive high solar insolation, are considered hotspots.
• Rooftop solar panel program has tremendous potential in urban cities and can contribute significantly to India’s solar energy goals.

Challenges to solar energy program:

• Overproduction: Leading to very low tariff rates is one such challenge, which can discourage investment in solar energy projects.
• Poor integration: Solar energy with the grid and the acquisition of land for solar parks are other challenges.
• Production and technological barriers, particularly the dependence on lithium imports from China for PV cells, are another challenge that needs to be addressed.
• Rooftop solar installations issue because of poor awareness and finances.

Conclusion:

The Indian government has taken several initiatives and policies to propel the solar energy market, including, SARAL Index, PM KUSUM Floating solar plants in Gujarat, and ISA in Haryana. Solar energy, with its low carbon footprint, can be a potential substitute for conventional energy sources and can help India fulfill its commitments under the INDCs and Panchamrit proposals at COP 26.