Building a circular economy for India’s solar value chain

Renewable Energy Installations in India and the Importance of Circular Economy

Renewable energy (RE) installations in India have been growing steadily since the 1990s, with a focus on wind and solar energy. The textile sector played a significant role in driving the adoption of RE, with textile companies setting up captive wind farms to take advantage of tax credits. In the 2000s, solar installations also started to gain traction, aligning with India’s net-zero targets. Today, India has a significant capacity of grid-connected solar and wind energy installations.

The Growth of Renewable Energy Installations in India

1. In 2005, grid-connected solar installations stood at 2 MW, and today it is approximately 82 GW.
2. Wind energy capacity has grown from 4 GW to approximately 46 GW in the same period.

However, as the first generation of solar and wind assets in India near their end-of-life (EOL), there is a growing concern about managing the resulting waste.

A Considerable Portion of Scrap Will Comprise Solar PV Waste

Solar PV waste, including discarded panels and PV modules, constitutes the majority of RE installations at their EOL. Solar energy holds the largest share of India’s overall installed RE capacity, accounting for approximately 43 percent. The Central Electricity Authority estimates that India will need 292 GW of solar to meet its 2030 target of 500 GW for its clean energy mix.

A report by CEEW estimates that about 100 kilotonnes (kt) of waste has already been generated from the installed solar capacity. This is expected to increase six times over to approximately 600 kt by 2030. The majority of this waste will be generated in five states: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

Managing the Issue of Solar Waste

Solar waste management is crucial to prevent environmental degradation and ensure resource efficiency. A circular economy approach is needed to extend the life of materials and products and prevent them from becoming waste. This approach involves:

• Designing solar energy products for easy recovery and recycling at EOL.
• Extending the lifetime of products through repair, upgrade, and second-life use.
• Recycling and repurposing solar waste to minimize landfill accumulation.
• Reducing reliance on critical mineral imports by recovering minerals from solar waste.

What is a Circular Renewable Energy Economy?

A circular renewable energy economy aims to optimize resource use and reduce waste in the solar energy sector. It involves designing products for easy recovery and recycling, extending product lifetimes, and implementing efficient recycling and repurposing processes. By adopting a circular economy approach, the renewable energy sector can contribute to climate goals and reduce environmental impacts.

Challenges with Scaling Circularity

Scaling circularity in the renewable energy sector requires innovation, establishing reverse logistics systems, linking technologies with policies, capacity building, and securing patient capital. Overcoming these challenges will require collaboration between government, industry, and society.

The Government’s Role in Promoting Circularity

The government can play a critical role in promoting circularity by defining metrics for circularity, setting regulations for recoverable material, incentivizing innovation, and supporting awareness campaigns. By prioritizing circularity, the government can enhance supply chain resilience, reduce reliance on critical mineral imports, and promote sustainable business practices.

Building Awareness for Circular Economy

Building awareness about the importance of circularity can encourage public demand for recycling and responsible waste management. It can also drive residential consumers to choose rooftop solar solutions that can be recycled at EOL. Public support and demand can incentivize the development of decentralized recycling and repurposing facilities.

The Importance of Circular Economy in the Renewable Energy Sector

A circular economy approach is crucial for managing the growing amount of solar waste in India. By adopting circularity, India can reduce environmental degradation, enhance resource efficiency, and reduce reliance on critical mineral imports. It requires collaboration between stakeholders and a shift towards sustainable business practices.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
• Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
• Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning.

Analysis

1. The SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

2. Specific targets under those SDGs based on the article’s content are:
– Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
– Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
– Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:
– Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
– Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled.
– Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning.

4. Table presenting the findings:

| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|——|———|————|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. | Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption. |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse. | Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning. |

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: idronline.org

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