‘Solar sector can create 6.7 lakh jobs in ten years’

Solar energy can create 145 GW (one GW equals 1000 MW) of capacity and 6.7 lakh jobs in India over the next 10 years, according to a joint report by Bridge to India and Tata Power Solar.

The report compares four distinct scenarios of solar power generation — residential rooftops (solar bees), large rooftops (solar pigeons), utility scale projects (solar horses) and ultra-mega projects (solar elephants).

Point of consumption The report said that LCOP, in certain cases, could be as much as 30 per cent higher than LCOE, and should be the de-facto economic metric for India to examine various power options.

It further said that currently the ultra-mega plants with a levelised generation cost of ₹6.6 a kWh (a unit) and a landed cost of ₹8.4 a kWh are most attractive and at parity with imported coal plants.

With an expected rise in imported coal prices, all the other three scenarios would also be able to achieve parity with imported coal over the next three years.

In the long term, large rooftop systems will be the cheapest option for India with a levelised generation cost of ₹6.6 a kWh and landed cost of ₹6.7 a kWh by 2024.