Solar power in cold desert: Ladakh’s abundant sun can be harnessed for renewable electricity generation and heating

Decentralised energy generation from sun

The region’s abundant solar wealth makes it ideal for the installation of solar panels. In Ladakh, 5.1-5.2 kWh/kWp of energy can be produced daily, meaning a one kWp solar panel can roughly generate 5.1 units of energy each day in Ladakh on an average. In comparison, areas such as Shimla, Delhi, and Bhubaneshwar have lower generation potentials, with daily outputs of 4.2 kWh/kWp, 3.9 kWh/kWp, and 3.9 kWh/kWp, respectively, making Ladakh significantly more productive for solar-based energy generation. The Union government aims to leverage this potential by developing India’s largest solar field in Ladakh, with a capacity of 13 GW.

However, vast regions of the Union Territory are located in remote areas making it an ideal scenario to explore rooftop solar in a decentralised way. Despite this, the uptake of solar PVs in the region has not found many takers. According to environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk who works in the region, the high subsidy for electricity in the region has rather discouraged people from installing rooftop solar panels. He proposes that the subsidy be only provided to the strata of society that really need it, encouraging the rest to invest in rooftop solar PV installation.

The Leh City Climate Action Plan Net Zero by 2047 suggests a telescopic pricing regime for electricity in Leh. The tariff structure is designed to ease financial pressure on lower-income users, who typically consume less energy, while ensuring higher-energy consumers pay their fair share. Under the proposed model, users consuming less than 450 units would pay less than under the current system, and only those using more than 1,300 units a month would pay more than the current unsubsidised rates. This, in turn, can help encourage high energy consuming customers to invest in solar PVs to meet their energy needs.