How Air Pollution Affects Solar Power Generation in India.
India ranks 3rd globally in its ambition to achieve rapid expansion of solar energy. It has made a significant target to generate 50% of its electricity using non-fossil fuel sources and 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Solar energy is likely to be at the center of achieving these targets. What Affects Solar Energy Efficiency? Solar panels rely on the quality and quantity of solar radiation they get, which is essential to their efficiency. Nonetheless, this efficiency is very much dependent on several environmental factors. Cloud Cover and Airborne Particles: The clouds reflect the sunlight, and the airborne pollutants, e.g., dust and aerosols, either scatter or absorb it. Days of high smog or haze will decrease the sunlight that can reach the panels and decrease power generation. Deteriorating Solar Quality: India enjoys about 300 sunny days annually; however, the quality of solar is deteriorating due to the increasing air pollution, which reduces the efficiency o...