Each day of the year, the sun gives off energy more than the consumption of living on the earth. The source is vast and limitless, and unlike fossil fuels, it won’t run out of stock. The limitation lies in our ability to convert it into electricity. With no fuel to burn, it gives the environment a fresh breath. Slowly but steadily, the world moves towards a clean source of energy. All around the globe, people are taking initiatives to produce solar power either with the help of government or private finances.

According to the data of the World Energy Council, global production of solar powered energy reached 227-gigawatt electrical (GWe) alone in 2015. It constituted 1% of the total energy production globally. Europe continues to dominate the market with 43.7% solar installed capacity. It is followed by East Asia (35.2%) and North America (35.2%).

India is no exception when it comes to renewable resources for power consumption. In order to move towards more sustainable development, the government has planned to achieve 175 GW of installed capacity of renewable energy by the end of 2022. Out of this target, 100 GW is set for the solar installation in the country. According to the recent reports, the government has successfully achieved 23GW till date, and 40 GW is under different stages of implementation.

With its restless efforts towards the solar power generation, India has taken over the US by becoming the Second largest nation in terms of solar power generation in the world. Now, the country is implementing new schemes and ideas to achieve 175 GW target by 2020. The rooftop solar panel adoptions have taken up a pace from the last few years, where 87% of solar power generation is contributed by large scale installation. The reports have shown that the rooftop solar panel installation has jumped from 117MW to 1250MW between the period of 2013 to 2016. Considering this substantial hike in the rooftop panels, MNRE (Ministry of Natural and Renewable Energy) has set a target of 40W rooftop solar target by 2022 under its National Solar Mission of India.

The MNRE’s target may seem ambitious but once everyone understands the benefits of the rooftop solar panel it is achievable-

Cost Saving – The first and foremost benefit that rooftop solar panels bring with them is the cost saving, and it attracts a lot of building owners. Compared to the industrial and commercial tariff rates the rooftop solar panels offer 17% to 27% cheaper tariff rates Besides, these solar panels also help in cutting down electricity bills by providing the required electricity to the building.

Secured Investment- When it comes to electricity buying from the grid, it is harder to keep a record of the expenditure with the fluctuating price of the electricity. But, with the rooftop solar panels, the power generated can be calculated easily without any problem. Moreover, one can even calculate the cost of power generated by solar for the next 10 years.

Unlimited source of energy- Apart from economical, there is an environmental benefit of switching to the rooftop solar panels. Though electricity deficiency is getting smaller day by day in India, but still there some parts of rural and urban areas facing big-time electricity cut downs. This is causing the people to use other limited resources like diesel and fuels forcefully. With the solar panel installation, you will not only be able to save these non-renewable resources but have access to an unlimited source of power generation.

Government support- To support the adoption of rooftop solar panels, the government is taking many steps, including schemes and new policies. The government offers tax credits to the people installing solar panels to the roof or their residential or commercial buildings. Along with this, the installer also gets a 30% subsidy on the total cost of installation of the rooftop solar panels from the government.

Low maintenance cost- The key reason that allure most of the building owners towards solar panels is the low maintenance cost. If maintained properly, they come with a life of almost 20 years without any problem.

Suitable climatic conditions in India- Solar panels absorb the sunlight and convert it into electricity, which makes them ideal for the geographical location like India. There are almost 300 sunny days on average in India receiving an ample amount of sunlight, which is great for generating a large amount of power.

In the coming years, solar energy will play a more significant part in ensuring the future of sustainable energy and reduction of carbon emissions. From lighting to transportation, its potential is as bright as the sun.