Solar Solutions: The future of India’s Automobile Industry

INTRODUCTION

Overexploitation of fossil fuels to meet human luxury in modern life has produced an imbalance in the ecosystem, necessitating a “Green revolution” to restore equilibrium. It means that renewable energy resources should be used instead of non-renewable energy sources, as they are less harmful to the environment and have a lower carbon footprint. In light of this, every sector of the global economy is adopting alternative resources (renewable energy) to reduce environmental degradation in some way, allowing the ecosystem to be balanced and a healthy lifestyle to be achieved.

The development of a country is inextricably linked to its transportation infrastructure. India’s transportation demand has risen in tandem with the country’s growing population. From 2001 to 2015, India’s vehicle ownership increased at a pace of 10.4% for two-wheelers and 11% for vehicles, resulting in higher levels of emissions on the road. A growth in the number of vehicles on the road has played a significant role in India’s greenhouse gas emissions.

OVERVIEW OF THE AUTOMOBILE SECTOR IN INDIA

The automobile sector is the fastest-growing industry in the world. The sector is India’s third-largest CO2 emitter, with road transport accounting for more than 90% of overall CO2 emissions within the transport sector (IEA, 2020; Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, 2018). India’s transportation-related GHG emissions increased from over 80 million tonnes per year in 1994 to around 119 million tonnes per year in 2000. As the most highly polluting sectors, the automobile industry is of particular interest in the context of both local and global environmental discussions.

As compared to 2000, it has been estimated that GHG emissions might rise by 25–90% by 2030 and the Earth could warm by 3 degrees Celsius this century. Indeed, even a small increase in temperature of 1–2.5C could have real consequences, such as reduced agricultural yields in tropical areas, increased risk of hunger, and the spread of various diseases. Therefore there is an urgent need to prioritizing renewable energy, particularly in the public transportation sector, in order to reduce pollution and balance our ecology.

THERMAL ENERGY APPLICATIONS IN MAJOR PROCESSES OF AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

The application of appropriate solar thermal technology can have a favourable impact on the overall energy and environmental situation of the automobile sector. Solar thermal technology can generate steam or pressured hot water, which can be used in the following processes: 

• Drying of washed components: The washed components are dried in a hot air chamber with a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius. An electrical coil or a gas-fired burner heats the air.

• Tempering Furnace: Hardening and tempering are commonly used to improve a component’s wear resistance, strength, and toughness.

CURRENT TRENDS IN SOLAR TRANSPORT

Solar power has become more popular in the automobile industry, with both on-site and off-site solar systems being used. Some of the world’s largest automakers, including Tata Motors, TVS Motors, and Mahindra Group, have erected a solar plant on-site, commonly known as a “on-site” factory. Solar energy is also being widely used by auto auxiliary companies like as SKF, two-wheeler companies such as TVS and Hero, tractors (Mahindra), and commercial vehicles and construction machinery companies such as Volvo.

The majority of automobile manufacturers have set lofty goals for decreasing their carbon footprint using renewable energy. The roofs of car production plants are typically big and open, making them ideal for solar. There may be unoccupied land on the premises from time to time, which can be an excellent alternative for constructing a ground-mount solar plant. Solar car ports, in which an open parking area is turned into a covered parking zone, where the solar panels themselves are put, are becoming increasingly popular.