India turns to solar to cover energy needs

India is on pace to meet its commitment to add 1.1 gigawatts of solar power to the national grid by 2013. This is part of a greater goal of achieving 20 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2022, according to an Indian official.

Deepak Gupta, the country's Renewable Energy Secretary, said the government has 184 megawatt of solar projects in the pipeline—scheduled to be completed by September 2011—and expects to receive bids for another 620 megawatts of projects in the foreseeable future.

Although solar energy still accounts for a small percentage of India's power portfolio, with coal-fired generation providing more than half of domestic power supply, India has been ramping up solar production to keep pace with its fast-growing economy.

The news comes at a time when India and its neighbor China are planning to sign economic and trade agreements pacts that will increase cooperation in renewable energy, finance and infrastructure.