In order to improve the plant performance there could be multiple focus areas, right at the plant design stage to integration stage to achieve optimized plant performance. It is important for developers, EPC Contractors, O&M service providers to consider various options/ strategies to increase their plant yield at a minimal cost. Knowledge about the performance of solar power plants results in correct investment decisions and better regulatory framework, technical enhancement of solar photovoltaic technology.

The imperative to adopt low-carbon energy is driving revolutionary changes in the power sector value chain across the globe. Renewable generation sources are proliferating, unidirectional distribution networks are slowly evolving into bidirectional networks, consumers are changing into prosumers, and dynamic energy markets are emerging.

India is still in the nascent stages of this revolution. Nevertheless, the journey towards a green energy future has begun. Artificial intelligence (AI) and the data that feed it are vital tools in this journey.

In yet another attempt to rescue the power distribution sector, the central government launched a new “reforms-based result-linked” scheme in this year’s Union Budget.

Public charging stations provide psychological comfort and security to the owners of electric vehicles (EV), promoting its adoption. Realising this, the Government of India issued guidelines for installation of public EV chargers and also permitted private entities to set up charging stations, provided they fulfil the norms set forth by the Ministry of Power.

The concept of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and circular economy is seen as enablers for improving resource efficiency, sustainable use of resources, sustainable economic growth, and social benefits. Circular economy strategies are believed to hold the key to a resource-efficient, low-carbon, and inclusive future. Essentially, these strategies aim to improve the way we meet our current needs but through the use of lesser resources (particularly natural) and by reducing the environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

A solar rooftop photovoltaic (SRTPV) system can be integrated with an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) by installing panels within the charging station premises (on-site) or by sourcing the solar energy effectively from panels that are located outside (off-site) the premises via an electrical grid. Several pilot demonstrations that have been reported so far are primarily on-site systems.

“Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” — the theme for this year’s International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2021 — is upfront in acknowledging the ubiquity of air-pollution effects, calling for collective efforts to improve our air for a better tomorrow.

Public health concerns have grown tremendously during the past two years because of the pandemic. The outbreak has led to a significant loss of lives and has serious implications for public health.

The year 2019–20 saw a ~20% spike in electric vehicles (EV) sales in India, as per the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV). Transport aggregators such as Ola and e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Flipkart are planning to ramp up the number of EVs in their fleet. This indicates the willingness of people to switch to EVs for a good cause – namely, improved air quality.