India’s relentless drive towards the ambitious 280 GW solar target for 2030 is riddled with obstacles. Recent trends show that availability of land for solar projects is becoming a cause for concern. For example, after the 2 GW Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka, plans were announced in 2019 to have three more parks (2.5 GW each) in Kopal, Bidar, and Gadag, but land parcels for these parks could not be identified in the last 4 years.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are a promising candidate, given that more than 70% of India’s buildings are yet to be built (although this number has not changed in over a decade). To understand the scope and feasibility of BIPV in India, a technical potential assessment exercise is being conducted internally for GIZ, in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISE and Ernst & Young. It factors in solar irradiance, local climatic conditions, suitable building structures, and BIPV system efficiency. Initial efforts show a staggering national potential estimate of 309 GW.
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