CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2021
| Author | Jakhmola, Avi |
|---|---|
| Title | It's Always Sunny in India (?): An empirical, state-level analysis of the growth of solar power in India |
| Summary | India has set ambitious targets for solar power deployment, a central element in its low-carbon energy transition. However, the feasibility of reaching these targets has not been systematically studied. This thesis assesses the feasibility of India's solar targets for 2022 and 2030 by quantitatively mapping the trajectories of solar power growth both nationally and at the state level using logistic and Gompertz growth models fitted to historical data. A set of deductive hypotheses are formulated to investigate why some states deployed solar PV earlier than others, and if late adopters benefited from the experience of early adopters. Existing growth trends are used to assess the feasibility of the national and state-level solar targets. The thesis finds that besides abundant solar resources, the extent of solar deployment in states was influenced by favorable business environments and competitiveness with respect to thermal power. Except for Karnataka, India and its states are not on track to achieve their targets. Growth appears to be slowing nationally due to retardation in states with the highest deployment levels and most of India’s solar potential. While later adopters had shorter transition durations, they did not always achieve faster rates due to less favorable conditions. This signals the need to focus on interventions that reaccelerate growth while simultaneously expanding deployment in lagging states. |
| Supervisor | Cherp, Aleh |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2021/jakhmola_avi.pdf |
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