Describe the benefits of deriving electric energy from sunlight in contrast to the conventional energy generation. What are the initiatives offered by our Government for this purpose?
Approach · directive: “describe / what”
What it asks · Set out the benefits of solar power over coal, oil and gas generation, then list the government's initiatives to promote it.
The question has 2 parts — answer each
- Describe the benefits of generating electricity from sunlight in contrast to conventional generation
- State the initiatives of the Government of India to promote solar power
Open with · Solar power turns sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic cells or solar thermal plants, and most of India receives abundant sunshine.
Cover
- Environment: no fuel combustion in operation, so no carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide or fly ash; it also uses far less water than thermal plants.
- Energy security and cost: sunlight is free and inexhaustible, cuts fuel imports, and solar tariffs have fallen steeply, now competitive with new coal power.
- Access: rooftop and off-grid systems reach remote areas, cut transmission losses, run farm pumps, and create local jobs; projects come up quickly.
- Limits: intermittency and need for storage and grid balancing, land use, high upfront cost, dependence on imported cells and modules, and panel waste.
- Initiatives: National Solar Mission (2010), its target raised to 100 GW by 2022 within a 175 GW renewable goal; solar parks; rooftop solar programme.
- Farmers and states: PM-KUSUM for solar pumps and farm plants; reverse auctions by SECI; renewable purchase obligations; waiver of inter-state transmission charges.
- Global lead: the International Solar Alliance, launched with France in 2015, and the One Sun One World One Grid idea.
Close with · Solar power offers clean, secure and decentralised energy; grid integration, storage and domestic manufacturing will decide how far India can rely on it.
Add value (verified)
- A PIB factsheet records the National Solar Mission's target: 100 GW of grid-connected solar power by 2022. Union Budget 2022-2023: India Embarks on a Solar Journey, PIB Research Unit factsheet (March 2022) ↗“The Mission targets installing 100 GW grid-connected solar power plants by the year 2022.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2020, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer · 249 words (UPSC limit 250) · Minimalist IAS
Solar power converts sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic cells or solar thermal plants, and most of India receives abundant sunshine through the year.
Benefits over conventional generation
- Clean: no fuel is burnt in operation, so no carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide or fly ash, unlike coal plants.
- Water-light: photovoltaic plants need far less water than thermal plants, which matters in a water-stressed country.
- Secure and cheap: sunlight is free and inexhaustible, cuts oil, gas and coal imports, and solar tariffs have fallen steeply to compete with new coal power.
- Decentralised: rooftop and off-grid systems reach remote villages, cut transmission losses, run farm pumps and create local jobs; projects come up in months, not years.
- Limits to note: intermittency needs storage and grid balancing; land use, high upfront cost, imported cells and modules, and panel waste remain concerns.
Government initiatives
- National Solar Mission (2010): its target was raised to 100 GW of grid-connected solar by 2022 within a 175 GW renewable goal, delivered through solar parks and a rooftop programme.
- Farmers: PM-KUSUM for solar pumps and small farm-based plants, turning farmers into producers of power.
- Market design: reverse auctions by the Solar Energy Corporation of India, renewable purchase obligations on distribution companies, and waiver of inter-state transmission charges.
- Global lead: the International Solar Alliance, launched with France in 2015, and the One Sun One World One Grid vision.
Solar power offers clean, secure and decentralised energy; storage, grid integration and domestic manufacturing will decide how far India can lean on it.
Written by Minimalist IAS from facts checked at source (how we verify). UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.