Make haste slowly on solar

India should not go overboard despite the sharp fall in prices

Solar power tariffs dropped to Rs 3.15 per unit in recent power auctions, a level where solar energy seems roughly competitive with thermal power. Lower solar power costs are now a global phenomenon. California, for example, derives about 40 per cent of its grid power from solar energy. This has led to wholesale electricity rates dropping to zero at noon, when solar power generation actually exceeds grid demand. India, too, has set ambitious targets. The current solar power capacity is about 12 Gigawatt (GW) and if the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission targets are fulfilled, it will hit 100 GW