ISRO Can Identify Ideal Locations to Set up Solar Power Farm

The Indian Space Agency can suggest the ideal location to put up a solar power farm with data gathered from its geostationary earth observation satellites within & outside India, said one of a top official. He also said that the technology can be transferred to those who are interested.  

Best Location to Set Up Solar Power Plants

“We have demonstrated the technology in identifying the best locations for putting up the solar power plants. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing that India can offer the technology to other countries, we may get inquiries, said K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organizations (ISRO) & also the Secretary, Department of Space.

As per K Sivan, the data transmitted by satellites will be analyzed by the ISRO officials. An android application for the computation of solar energy potential has been developed by ISRO’s Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmadabad at the behest of the Ministry of Renewable Energy. The tool can be used for the installation of photovoltaic solar panels for tapping solar energy.

Solar Calculator Application 

While speaking at the COP26 summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “I also want to inform you that our space agency, ISRO is going to present a solar calculator application to the world. With this calculator, the potential of solar power of any place in the world can be measured based on satellite data. This application will be useful in deciding the location of a solar project & will also strengthen ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid.  

It will provide monthly/yearly solar potential (in kWh/m2) & minimum or maximum temperature at any location. It also displays the location on a satellite image and provides azimuth/ elevation angles as well as day length over the different time periods in a year.

ISRO said that the information that is required can be keyed in or obtained through GPS. The location is displayed on an image with the satellite data in the background. It provides monthly & yearly solar potential processed by using the Indian Geostationary Satellite Data (Kalpana-1, INSAT-3D & INSAT-3 DR). It also offers the monthly maximum & minimum temperature to calculate the realistic solar potential. 

The obstruction of sunlight due to terrain is also calculated by using the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The application also suggests that the optimum tilt angle for a solar PV installation. This application can be downloaded from the “New & Renewable Energy” section via: https://vedas.sac.gov.in/en/  

It may recall that PM Modi had earlier promised that a satellite for the South Asian regions, which was later, released by the ISRO. 

In the form of a GSAT-9/South Asia Satellite (formerly SAARC Satellite) a communication/meteorology satellite in the year 2017. Meanwhile, queried about upcoming satellite launches, nothing has been finalized & ISRO is working on that. Sivan said that the revised foreign direct investment policy is under formulation.