Study on Solar Energy Potential and Green House Gas Mitigation in India using Geospatial Technology

Abstract

newlineAnthropogenic activities have led to emission of Green House Gases (GHGs). The increasing newline levels of GHGs in the earth s atmosphere are responsible for climate change and global newline warming. These changing effects in the environment have adverse impact on flora and fauna. newline With maximised use of fossil fuels, energy sector is identified as key contributor to GHGs newline emissions. Some of the evident impacts of global warming are increased temperature levels, newline rise in sea levels, cyclones, hurricanes, and change in precipitation patterns. Considering the newline hazardous impacts of the GHGs, it is essential to switch on to eco-friendly power generation newline sources which do not harm environment but are complementing and contributing to the newline sustainable development. The various identified clean and eco-friendly energy sources are newline solar, wind, biomass, hydro, fuel cell and geothermal energy. The solar has evolved as a newline potential promising green technology, addressing the climate change issue by reducing newline dependence on traditional fossil fuel-based energy to greater extent. newline In response to the COP 21 (Paris agreement), India has submitted Intended Nationally newline Determined Contributions (INDCs) and has shown its commitment for reducing the GHGs newline emissions. On July 2015, India has set its national mission of adding ambitious 175 GW of newline RE based capacity by the year 2022. India, geographically located closer to equator and newline receives good band width solar insolations. The insolation received ranges from 5 to 7 newline kWh/m 2 /day which is considered to be good complementing environment for generating newline power. Based on various favourable ecological parameters and constraints, the study is newline conducted to understand the Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) potential in India and the Rooftop newline Solar Potential of Navi Mumbai using geospatial technology. Data for the study is taken from newline the government agencies, web portals, renewable laboratories and Navi Mumbai Muncipal newline Corporation (NMMC). The Solar PV favourable area is studied with the help of AHP method newline for pan India and by satellite image based analysis for rooftop Solar PV for the Navi Mumbai newline region. This study gives the GHGs mitigation for the identified solar potential. Quantitative newline approach is adopted for taking up the entire study and the objective results are being arrived. newline The data sourced for the study is taken from public domain, remote sensing and GIS based newline image analysis, solar insolation, and grid emission factor. The study shows that the installable newline solar capacity in India is 399.2 GW, 798.5 GW and 1197.8 GW with 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% newline suitable areas respectively in the combination of high and very high solar PV favourable newline regions. The corresponding solar power generated with solar insolation levels of 5 newline kWh/m 2 /day is 1597086, 3194171 and 4791256 MWh which has GHGs mitigation potential newline ivof 1325581, 2651162 and 3976743 tonne of CO 2 per day, respectively.Navi Mumbai has the newline potential to accommodate 2329.86 MW rooftop Solar PV capacity. Power produced by newline rooftop solar in Navi Mumbai is 4252001.92 MWh with GHG Mitigation potential of newline 3529161.59 tonne of CO 2 on annual basis.The outcome of the study would be beneficial to