Dimming Prospects: Solar Power in India Threatened by Climate Change and Air Pollution

India's solar power potential may significantly drop by up to 800 gigawatt-hours by mid-century due to climate change and air pollution. A study highlights the challenges faced by India's power grids and stresses the importance of tackling both climate and pollution issues to sustain photovoltaic potential.

A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, foresees a significant decline in India's solar power generation capacity due to air pollution and climate change. It predicts a potential decrease of 600-800 gigawatt-hours before 2050, posing challenges for India's northern, western, and southern power grids where most solar parks are located.

The study points out that pollutants in the air can absorb and scatter sunlight, diminishing the sun's radiation intensity that reaches the earth's surface. The vulnerability of solar power to weather and climate conditions further underscores the need for pressing climate action and pollution mitigation to secure India's photovoltaic future.

Published in Environmental Research Letters, the research calls for robust efforts to control air pollution and climate change simultaneously. The team highlights the necessity of innovation in solar cells and a rapid transition to renewable energy to enhance the nation's solar power potential amid environmental challenges.