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Why Solar Power is a Game Changer for India’s Food Industry?

The food industry is critical for every economy, not only to feed its people but even from the economic point of view. For a country that has a population size as big as ours, it becomes even more significant. Thus, the food industry in India is poised for growth, not only to feed its people and serve the culinary needs of the country but also because it is one of the largest exporters in the world. The industry is only getting bigger with time and is also one of the major contributors to the GDP growth of the nation. 

So, it isn’t surprising that many businesses and enterprises want to be a part of this highly profitable industry. But, with increased competition in the market and with so many food businesses coming up, in order to achieve long-term economic viability, one needs to take a radically different approach. 

In this article, we will discuss one such approach, i.e. the use of solar power in the food industry in India, and we will try to highlight how using this renewable source of energy in this industry can be a game changer and how you, as a business can benefit from that. 

What is Solar Power?

But, first things first, what is solar power? Without complicating things, let’s try to understand this in simpler words. Solar power refers to the conversion of the sun’s energy into electricity. This can be done either directly by employing photovoltaics, which converts light into electric current with the help of the photovoltaic effect, or indirectly by employing concentrated solar power, which tends to use multiple reflecting mirrors or lenses to focus the sunlight on a hot spot. But how does this solar power work? The Solar power generated works by converting the energy from the sun into power, which can be used for various purposes just like any other source of energy.

Need and Benefit of Solar Power

With the increasing population, the burden on limited non-renewable resources has increased tremendously. The cost of fuel has been skyrocketing, which has forced man to look for alternate sources of energy. In addition to the scarcity and cost factors of these non-renewable resources, the use of these non-renewable resources leads to the emissions of toxic greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming and climate change. 

To mitigate these concerns, the only option left with the world is to turn its attention towards such alternate sources of energy that won’t get depleted so easily and are not so harmful to the environment and health. One such source is solar energy, but as fancy as we try to make it sound, the concept of using solar energy isn’t a recent discovery; humans have been using it since the 7th century by creating fires with the use of the sun’s rays, and its use has been widely prevalent because of the various benefits it offers and is the best possible solution available to the problems listed earlier. Solar power is a natural, renewable, and infinite source of energy that has no adverse or harmful impact on the environment, unlike other sources of energy that lead to emissions of harmful and toxic greenhouse gases. 

In simpler words, as long as the sun shines, we can have access to solar power. Even on a cloudy day, one can harness solar energy; it’s just that the amount of energy generated varies depending on various factors, such as the amount of direct sunlight available on that particular day, the size of solar panels being used, etc. Therefore, in order to reduce the carbon footprint, this radical shift is being favoured by environment enthusiasts all across the globe. 

Energy Consumption in the Food Industry 

The Indian food industry has always been a major contributor to the nation’s economy and GDP growth. The need for the use of solar power in the food industry in India can be supported by the fact that it is one of the largest industries with even bigger growth prospects. Various studies have highlighted that the Indian food market is expected to witness tremendous growth with a CAGR of 11.19 per cent and is anticipated to reach USD 79.65 billion by 2028. 

Given its size and prospective for growth, it is natural that the food industry is highly energy-intensive, and according to research, around 30% of the global energy is consumed in the food industry itself. India, being the world’s largest food producer, naturally has even higher energy demands. 

The food industry has various small and large-scale units that are involved in a lot of processes such as production, processing, transporting, distribution, supplying, retailing, etc., and thus, all these sectors require large amounts amount of energy in order to work efficiently, thereby creating more opportunities for the use of solar power in the food industry. 

How Can the Solar Power Be a Game Changer for the Food Industry in India?

The food industry in India is a particularly complex tapestry because of the diverse culinary traditions, dietary preferences, and the vast array of cuisines available, thereby contributing to creating a lot of growth and employment opportunities. The bigger the industry, the greater the capability to cause adverse effects. 

The industry has been marred by the high operational costs and the environmental damage it causes. Most of its energy requirements are fulfilled by the burning of fossil fuels, which leads to emissions of greenhouse gases that tend to pollute the environment and even cause health hazards. The world has recognized the need for sustainable development, and the importance of adopting sustainable practices has been widely discussed; therefore, environmental enthusiasts have been advocating for a switch toward cleaner sources of energy. 

The energy challenge that has been faced by India’s Food Industry has been that, apart from being so energy-intensive, this industry is accustomed to using non-renewable sources of energy that have adverse effects not just on the environment but also on the overall operational costs of the business as these non-renewable sources are not so cheap after all. Therefore, this switch towards cleaner and renewable energy sources is one such practice that can be adopted to bring the element of sustainability into the industry.

India ranks fourth in solar-powered electricity generation in the world. This signifies that India is doing fairly great already when tapping this renewable energy source. The availability of growth opportunities and resources to make a shift towards this cleaner source of energy should encourage businesses to lean towards the use of solar power in the food industry to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Benefits of Use of Solar Power in the Food Industry in India

You must be wondering why to make the effort to switch to solar power when traditional fossil fuels are working just fine for you. Well, the demand for energy is increasing rapidly in the Indian food industry owing to the growing population and increasing food demand. Therefore, there is a call for switching to alternate renewable sources of energy, especially solar power. It is because the use of solar power in the food industry in India has a myriad of environmental and other benefits, such as:

Reduction in Environmental Pollution

The burning of fossil fuels contributes to the emission of harmful and toxic gases that can cause severe health hazards such as respiratory diseases, breathing disorders, or even lung cancer. Furthermore, the release of greenhouse gases, which are one of the leading causes of climate change and global warming, is another environmental concern. Switching to renewable energy and, in particular, to the use of solar power in the food industry, which is a highly energy-intensive industry, is a more environmentally friendly option as the use of the same does not have such adverse effects on the environment or human health. Solar power is a cleaner and more efficient source of energy. 

Saves Depletion of Resources

The major benefit of the use of solar power in the food industry is that it is a renewable and never-ending source of energy that is available in abundance. As we said, as long as the sun shines, your business will have a source of energy; it is just that the amount of energy generated may vary depending on many factors. Whereas non-renewable sources such as coal, oil, natural gas, etc., as the name suggests, cannot be used again and again once they are used up. 

Reduces Cost

Yet another benefit of the use of solar power in the food industry is that renewable resources like solar power are usually cheaper than fossil fuels. We do realize the installation costs of solar panels and plants could be expensive, but one must not forget it is a one-time installation investment that you are making for your future to get free from energy bills, and in fact, the government often gives subsidies, incentives, and tax credits to encourage the use of environmentally friendly resources. In addition to that, you do not have to worry about fluctuating market prices like you have to with other resources such as oil or natural gas.  

Enhances Brand Reputation

In these environmentally conscientious times, customers, clients, or investors want to be associated with brands or businesses that are more concerned about the environmental and social impacts of their decisions as well. Therefore, switching to cleaner sources like the use of solar power in the food industry can help your business gain that extra competitive advantage in the market against your competitors who merely indulge in greenwashing. 

Opportunities for New Innovations

Last but not least, using solar power in the food industry can open doors for new innovations and opportunities. It could allow your business to identify its niche and target a particular market for your products and services.  

Avenues for the Use of Solar Power in the Food Industry in India

 According to a study published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on world energy consumption, solar array installations are expected to supply around 45% of energy demand in the world by 2050. In light of this and the numerous benefits of the use of solar power in the food industry in India that we have already discussed, let us have a look at some of the avenues in the industry where solar energy is being used:

Solar Powered Irrigation

Irrigation plays a crucial role in Indian agriculture. One cannot imagine practising agriculture and undertaking food production without the availability of sources for irrigation. Irrigation requires the use of energy, and thus by bringing in the use of solar power in the food industry or even agriculture can solve the energy concerns of the sector; for instance, powered water pumping systems have become prevalent in certain parts of the country, which has made irrigation quite possible in remote areas where there are frequent or long power cuts. The fact that use of these solar-powered irrigation systems is not only eco-friendly but also saves costs as there is no need for fuel, there are no energy bills to pay every month, and there is no need for a grid connection. 

Solar Dryers

Another way of using solar power in the food industry is by using solar dryers to dry grains and crops by concentrating the harnessed solar energy in a closed container, which not only saves time and accelerates the process but also reduces the risk of exposing the crops to adulteration or impurities.

Solar Powered Cooling Systems

Cooling is often the linchpin in the food industry to address the issues of staleness, perishability of products, shelf-life, etc. The businesses involved in food processing or storage often have to incur losses due to a lack of constant power for their refrigeration or cooling systems due to a shortage of electricity in their areas. The viable solution in such a scenario is again the use of solar-powered cooling systems, which do not face the issue of power cuts as they are connected to batteries powered by solar panels during the day and at night by the saved-up power backup. 

Solar-Powered Food Processing Units

The use of solar power in the food industry can be further explored in units that indulge in processes like drying, roasting, cooking, storage, etc., as these tend to have high energy consumption needs.  

Government Incentives to promote the use of Solar Power

The government of India has time and again advocated the use of renewable sources of energy to further its goal of sustainable development and to reduce environmental pollution. Similarly, the government has taken various initiatives to promote the use of low-carbon energy technologies, i.e. solar power. Some of these initiatives to push individuals and businesses towards solar and renewable energy are:

KUSUM Scheme

KUSUM stands for Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan. It is a scheme launched by the central government to encourage and ensure that the benefits of solar power reach the farmers as well. Under this scheme, the tube wells and the irrigation pumps installed by the government will be made to run on solar power; the farmers are entitled to a 60% subsidy on solar pumps, which gets directly deposited in their bank accounts, and 30% of the cost can be borne by bank loans, thereby reducing the financial burden exponentially. 

The Jawahar Nehru National Solar Mission

The Jawahar Nehru National Solar Mission, also commonly known as the National Solar Mission, is amongst the key missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The mission was launched a decade ago with a target to accomplish the deployment of 1,00,000MW of grid associated with solar power by 2022.

Solar Subsidies 

To further encourage the public and businesses to use cleaner resources and promote the use of solar power in the food industry, the nation has put solar subsidy plans in place, which incentivize people to go green as now they have lesser operational costs to bear. Therefore, by providing these subsidies and financial aid to people and thereby reducing their installation costs. 

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)^[1] offers a 30% subsidy for small and micro enterprises as well as a 30% depreciation benefit for businesses that choose to install solar panels on their premises. In addition to this, many state governments, as well as state nodal agencies in the country, also offer incentives on their behalf for smaller businesses to encourage them to use solar power. 

For instance, the government of UP had announced a 50 per cent subsidy for promoting the establishment of solar-powered food processing units. The government of Andhra Pradesh encourages and incentivizes farmers or agriculturists to install solar panels on their land by giving them subsidies. 

Conclusion

Given the size of the food industry in India, there is always going to be a high demand for energy consumption, and the pace at which the resources are being depleted to meet this ever-increasing energy demand across industries, it seems only ideal for businesses to make a radical shift and explore more environmentally-friendly and economically-efficient options such as renewable sources of energy. The use of these not only mitigates environmental and climate concerns but also helps in reducing overall operational costs. 

As discussed, the use of solar power in the food industry in India can help turn the tables by providing numerous benefits to the businesses involved, as listed above. Thus, solar power is an optimal option to meet these demands and address these concerns. With effective implementation and application, this can be quite rewarding for the industry in the long run. 

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