{"id":26271,"date":"2024-02-08T10:38:11","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T10:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/?p=26271"},"modified":"2024-02-08T10:38:14","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T10:38:14","slug":"to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/","title":{"rendered":"To what factors can the recent dramatic fall in equipment cost and tariff of solar energy be attributed? What implications does the trend have for thermal power producers and related industry? (150 Words 10 Marks)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-gs-advance-and-mentorship-program-ampcsat?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Link&amp;utm_campaign=GS+Advanced\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-8.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-8.png 1280w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-8-1170x274.png 1170w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-8-585x137.png 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The recent dramatic fall in equipment cost and tariffs of solar energy can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, advancements in technology have led to increased efficiency and reduced production costs for solar panels and related equipment. Additionally, economies of scale resulting from the widespread adoption of solar energy have driven down costs further. Furthermore, government incentives and subsidies aimed at promoting renewable energy sources have played a significant role in lowering the financial barriers to entry for solar energy projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The implications of this trend for thermal power producers and related industries are substantial. As solar energy becomes increasingly cost-competitive, thermal power producers may face greater pressure to lower their prices or invest in renewable energy alternatives to remain competitive in the market. Additionally, industries dependent on thermal power generation, such as coal mining and natural gas extraction, may experience decreased demand, potentially leading to economic challenges and job losses in these sectors. Overall, the shift towards cheaper solar energy signifies a significant transformation in the energy landscape, with wide-ranging implications for both producers and consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tag:\u00a0<\/strong>Infrastructure: energy, ports, roads, airports, railways etc.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0078024c296\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0078024c296\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#Decoding_the_Question\" title=\"Decoding the Question:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Decoding the Question:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#Answer\" title=\"Answer:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Answer:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#Factors_responsible_for_fall_in_equipment_price\" title=\"Factors responsible for fall in equipment price:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Factors responsible for fall in equipment price:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#Impact_on_thermal_power_producer_and_related_industries\" title=\"Impact on thermal power producer and related industries:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Impact on thermal power producer and related industries:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\" title=\"In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;\">In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/to-what-factors-can-the-recent-dramatic-fall-in-equipment-cost-and-tariff-of-solar-energy-be-attributed-what-implications-does-the-trend-have-for-thermal-power-producers-and-related-industry-150-wo\/#Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\" title=\"Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here\">Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Decoding_the_Question\"><\/span><strong>Decoding the Question:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>In introduction, try to write about India\u2019s solar power target with respect to INDC.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>In body,<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Discuss factors responsible for the fall in equipment cost and tariff of solar energy.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>In the second part of the answer discuss implications for thermal power producers and related industries.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>In conclusion, try to write about challenges in achieving solar energy targets.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Answer\"><\/span><strong>Answer:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>India is striving to reach its goal of 175 GW of installed renewable capacity by 2022. Now, with the kind of initiatives the government and different companies are taking, it is likely that the renewable energy target of 450 GW by 2030 will also be achievable. The government is totally committed to enabling its <strong>Paris Agreement commitments<\/strong> and companies are taking many efforts to ramp up capacity. Under INDC commitment, the government decided to achieve a 40% target by 2035.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Factors_responsible_for_fall_in_equipment_price\"><\/span><strong>Factors responsible for fall in equipment price:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Competitive pricing:<\/strong> \u201cWhile this rate is very competitive compared to thermal plant tariffs, and lucrative for power distribution companies entering long-term power purchase agreements, this is a floor for developers if they want to make money.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Policy Support and Change:<\/strong> Industry players believe that in the post-Covid era, few reform measures should be implemented immediately. Investment in grid and utility modernisation needs to be strongly pursued to upgrade the infrastructure. This can be a key driver for economic recovery and job creation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Private participation:<\/strong> India\u2019s renewable energy efforts are being led by solar energy. Vikram Solar is ready to play a critical role in creating a self-sustaining ecosystem for solar manufacturing in India aligned with the Government&#8217;s Atma Nirbhar vision.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Newer technologies: <\/strong>new-age technologies like artificial intelligence, cognitive modelling, machine learning, deep learning, virtual reality, augmented reality, robotic process automation amongst others to enhance our agility and efficiency in operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Promote Solar power industry: <\/strong>To promote Make in India initiative and reduce import cost of solar panels, the government has been pushing the solar energy industry to produce low-cost equipment, which will boost the solar power sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Promote employment:<\/strong> Indigenous production of solar panels and related material will generate a significant number of employment. Therefore, the Government is pushing to reduce tariffs on all important materials.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_on_thermal_power_producer_and_related_industries\"><\/span><strong>Impact on thermal power producer and related industries:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>During the pandemic, the government\u2019s policy initiatives like &#8211; supporting force majeure, reducing repo rate, making solar plant O&amp;M an essential service, removing tariff caps for solar tends, PLU scheme amongst others clearly indicates the growing support towards solar energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>The\u202fcurrent solar tariffs in India, which are between Rs 2.50-2.87 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), have stabilized at rates 20-30 per cent below the cost of existing thermal power in India and up to half the price of new coal-fired power, according to the latest study.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>It is important to note here that solar energy is now faster to build, cheaper than new coal fired power plants, less prone to fuel volatilities and less regulated from an environmental clearance perspective (which can be quite tough in India). It is also a clean source of power.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, changing climate and Paris commitment led India\u2019s path to achieve renewable targets in general and solar energy in particular. Still there are certain policies, investors, tariffs, and other challenges remaining to optimize solar energy and related industries in India. If India wants to become a net exporter and become a globe leader in the renewable energy sector, especially in solar energy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UPSC-Essay-Course-1280\u00d7300-1-3.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42688 lazyload\" width=\"781\" height=\"182\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 781px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 781\/182;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\"><\/span><strong>In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For UPSC Prelims Resources,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc-cse-prelims-resource-centre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Daily Updates and Study Material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join our Telegram Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/WithEdukemy4IAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edukemy for IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1. Learn through Videos &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3vOD8sU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>2. Be Exam Ready by Practicing Daily MCQs &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3Q9z2nF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>3. Daily Newsletter &#8211; Get all your Current Affairs Covered &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3bE2y5J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>4. Mains Answer Writing Practice &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3mZuVxl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\"><\/span>Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ShabbirsEduKemyforIAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The recent dramatic fall in equipment cost and tariffs of solar energy can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, advancements in technology<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":26272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1524],"tags":[177,142,1797,232,145,140],"class_list":["post-26271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-upsc-mains-solved-paper-gs-3","tag-general-studies-3","tag-previous_year_questions","tag-solar-energy","tag-upsc","tag-upsc-mains-question-paper","tag-upsc_preparation_strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26271"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26273,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26271\/revisions\/26273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}