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.
It asks 2 things — 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; India's installed solar capacity has grown from about 3 GW in 2014 to 129 GW in 2025 (PIB), the fastest-growing source in a grid long dominated by coal.
Cover
- Benefits: no fuel burnt, so no greenhouse gases or ash; little water; cuts imports; tariffs competitive with new coal; quick to build; decentralised rooftop and off-grid supply.
- Caveats: intermittency needs storage and grid balancing; land, upfront cost, imported cells and panel waste.
- National Solar Mission (2010): 100 GW by 2022 target; 55 solar parks of 40 GW sanctioned across 13 States by October 2025.
- PM-KUSUM (2019): over 9 lakh standalone solar pumps; PM Surya Ghar (2024): rooftop solar for one crore households, 300 free units, Rs 75,021 crore; PLI for modules, Rs 24,000 crore.
- Market and global: SECI auctions, renewable purchase obligations, inter-State transmission waiver; International Solar Alliance (2015); Panchamrit pledge of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Close with · With storage, grid integration and domestic manufacturing, solar can carry India from 129 GW to the Panchamrit target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 and on towards net zero, uniting energy security with climate leadership.
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.”
- PIB backgrounder (December 2025): India's solar capacity rose from 3 GW in 2014 to 129 GW in 2025; non-fossil power crossed 50% of installed capacity.PIB backgrounder, 6 December 2025: India's Solar Momentum ↗“India’s solar capacity surged to 129 GW in 2025, up from 3 GW in 2014. • Non-fossil power crosses 50% of India’s 500 GW capacity.”
- The same backgrounder: PM-KUSUM has enabled close to 9.2 lakh standalone solar pumps; 55 solar parks with 40 GW sanctioned capacity approved across 13 States (31 October 2025).PIB backgrounder, 6 December 2025: India's Solar Momentum ↗“PM-KUSUM facilitated close to 9.2 lakh standalone solar pumps under component B, boosting clean energy use in agriculture. • As of 31st October 2025, 55 solar parks with a combined sanctioned capacity of 40 GW approved across 13 Indian states.”
- PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched 13 February 2024: rooftop solar for one crore households, up to 300 free units a month, outlay Rs 75,021 crore.PIB backgrounder, 6 December 2025: India's Solar Momentum ↗“Launched on 13 February 2024 with a Cabinet approval, the scheme has a total outlay of ₹ 75,021 crore. Its aim is to provide rooftop solar systems to one crore households, providing up to 300 units of free electricity every month.”
- PLI Scheme under the National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules: outlay Rs 24,000 crore to build GW-scale domestic module manufacturing.PIB backgrounder, 6 December 2025: India's Solar Momentum ↗“implementing the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme under the National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules to achieve Giga Watt (GW)-scale manufacturing capacity in high-efficiency solar PV modules, with a total outlay of ₹ 24,000 crore, to promote domestic manufacturing of high-efficiency solar PV modules and reduce import dependence.”
- Panchamrit (COP26, Glasgow, November 2021): 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and 50% of energy requirements from renewables by 2030.PIB, Prime Minister's Office, 1 November 2021: National Statement by Prime Minister at COP26 Summit in Glasgow ↗“First - India will reach its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030. Second - India will meet 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2020, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 345words · Minimalist IAS
Solar power turns sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic cells or solar-thermal plants. India's installed solar capacity has grown from about 3 GW in 2014 to 129 GW in 2025 (PIB), the fastest-growing source in a grid long dominated by coal.
Benefits in contrast to conventional generation
| Aspect | Coal, oil and gas | Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Mined or imported, finite | Sunlight, free, inexhaustible |
| Emissions | CO2, SO2, fly ash | None in operation |
| Water and siting | Water-intensive, centralised | Little water, rooftop to park |
- Clean: no combustion, so no greenhouse gases or ash while generating; central to the Panchamrit pledge (COP26, 2021) of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
- Secure: cuts coal, oil and gas imports and draws on a resource available across most of the country.
- Cheap and quick: tariffs have fallen steeply to compete with new coal power, and plants come up in months, not years.
- Decentralised: rooftop and off-grid systems reach remote villages, cut transmission losses and make farmers and households producers.
- Caveats: intermittency needs storage and grid balancing; land, upfront cost, imported cells and panel waste remain concerns.
Government initiatives
- National Solar Mission (2010): target raised to 100 GW of grid-connected solar by 2022; 55 solar parks with 40 GW sanctioned across 13 States by October 2025.
- PM-KUSUM (2019): small plants on fallow land, standalone solar pumps and solarised grid pumps; about 9.2 lakh standalone pumps by 2025, turning farmers into power producers.
- PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (2024): rooftop solar for one crore households with up to 300 units free a month, outlay Rs 75,021 crore.
- Make in India: the Rs 24,000 crore PLI scheme for high-efficiency modules to cut import dependence.
- Market design: reverse auctions by SECI, renewable purchase obligations on discoms 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.
With storage, grid integration and domestic manufacturing, solar can carry India from 129 GW to the Panchamrit target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 and on towards net zero, uniting energy security with climate leadership.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
