New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has urged state governments to promote the setting up of manufacturing plants for solar PV cells and modules to accelerate their production in India. Inaugurating a 2.4 MW solar power plant at Pondicherry University in the Union Territory of Puducherry, Naidu said that India still relies heavily on imported components such as solar cells and modules and stressed on the importance of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the solar energy sector through active participation of the states. He also called for encouraging small players in the industry in this regard.
Noting that India's potential for growth in the renewable energy sector over the next few years is huge, Naidu said that the lack of a trained force is a bottleneck in our exponential growth in the sector. He urged state governments to invest in training and upskilling of the workforce and adoption of the latest technologies.
Expressing concern over climate change and its impact, Naidu emphasised that green energies such as solar, wind and small hydro offer a viable alternative to meet our growing energy needs. Observing that India was fast becoming a global leader in 'energy transition,' he noted that with over 40 GW of installed solar capacity, India is ranked fifth globally in solar power capacity.
Stressing on the importance of innovation in the solar sector, the Vice President suggested exploring alternative avenues to install ground-mounted PV systems. In this context, he cited the instance of floating solar plants on water, particularly state-run NTPC's floating solar power plant of 100 MW capacity at Ramagundam in Telangana. He pointed out that rooftop-mounted solar plants are a sustainable option and need to be encouraged.
The Vice President also called upon universities to proactively take up research and projects which have a component of renewable energy. He advised educational institutions to encourage students to take up final year projects and internships in the field of renewable energy and in material sciences. "This will not only improve their employment prospects but will also help in promoting innovations and improvements in our domestic solar industry," he added.
Lt Governor of Puducherry, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, Speaker, Puducherry Assembly, Embalam R Selvam, Member of Puducherry Legislative Assembly, PML Kalyana Sundaram, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University, Prof Gurmeet Singh, Director of Studies, Dr S Balakrishnan and others were present during the event.
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