The shadow war between India and China has been going on since 1062. Presently, India invites bids for One Sun, One World, One Grid to take on China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative. Scrutinizing the present relation between these two-world power, this project is a very grand and ambitious project that the world has ever seen. A brief overview on the source of the Idea of this project, who propose this Idea first and the historical background has been explained. What is the main aim of this project? How India will benefit from this OSOWOG project and how other countries will benefit from this initiative have been clearly discussed in this article.
Detail analyses have been furnished concerning the India-China relation and why India needs to take over China? And how India will be self-sufficient by taking the opportunity of this project, on the topic of our interest. The project of OSOWOG has a positive impact on the world economy, and India is planning to take the leadership position with the help of OSOWOG, not by economic dominance but by sharing economic benefits. In this article, the researcher is trying to find out the rationality of this project, is it realistic or not, will India be able to successfully build this project, and what will be the international reputation of India After implementing this project. Moreover, will this project be able to (Modi)fying the globe or not.
Introduction
Energy is all around us which comes from several sources, but in the whole universe, one of the most important and sources of energy is the ‘Sun’. The energy of the sun is the source of most of the energy that we found on the earth. We can use the safest and clean energy, i.e., solar energy. There is some difficulty in harvesting solar energy. Due to the ecliptic motion of the earth, the whole world does not receive Sunlight at the same time which means solar power is available on one side. The solution to this problem is One sun, One World, One Grid. Starting from the background, ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change-2015’ which is also known as ‘The Paris Agreement’ in this agreement India announce INDC, i.e., Intended Nationally Determined Contributions where India declares how India is heading towards clean energy.
India has pledged to decrease the emissions intensity, enhance its forest cover, and it has also pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40% by 2030. Taking this into account, the Prime Minister of India and the president of France jointly launched the (ISA) International Solar Alliance on 30th November 2015, at Paris (CoP21). Now the headquarters of ISA in Gurugram (Haryana) India named ‘National Institute for Solar Energy. After ratification by a minimum number of countries on 6th December 2017 ISA finally launched. In the first assembly of ISA which was organized in 2018.
In this assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi first addressed the idea of One Sun, One World, One Grid. After this, on 15th August 2020 on India’s Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the world about the ambitious plan of “One Sun, One World, One Grid” (OSOWOG) with the mantra (slogan) of ‘The Sun Never Sets‘ which refers that solar energy supply would be constant at any geographical location and point of time through one grid. The Ministry of renewable energy came out with a request to convert the idea into policy.
The Project and its Aim
OSOWOG is an ambitious project, also known as ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ the Idea of the project was proposed by India to build an international electricity grid that will supply solar power across the globe. In the initial stage of this project, Indian Grid will be Interconnected with Middle East, South Asia, and South-East Asian grids (MESASEA) to share solar and other renewable energy resources for combining electricity needs including peak demand. It also involves setting up an under-sea link to connect with Oman in the West.
Secondly, the government says that whenever MESASEA gets completed then it will be interconnected with the African power pools to share solar energy power of the countries located in solar and renewable energy-rich areas. Because the requirement for electricity is higher in the African country and also, we can produce a huge level of solar energy by utilizing the Sahara Desert, it will solve the problem of electricity in the African country. In the third and final stage, all the grids will be connected and there will be one electricity grid all over the world.
The main aim of this project is not only to solve the electricity problem but also to help all the participating entities in attracting investment in renewable energy sources as well as utilizing skills, technology, and finances. It aims at addressing obstacles to deployment at the scale of solar energy through better harmonization and aggregation of demand from solar-rich countries, especially between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. This project will also result in economic benefits and have a truly positive impact on poverty, support in mitigation water, sanitation, food and it will also overcome the other socio-economic challenges. This will also improve the technology of a country, on the other hand, there will be a perfect utilization of skills and finance more people will get work. the workload will be reduced for one single country because the one grid will connect all the world.
What’s the need for One World, One Sun, One Grid Project?
According to research, China is the 2nd most powerful country in the world. China occupies 2nd place in the world GDP ranking, over its China’s GDP growth rate of 2021(8.44%) is higher than the US’s GDP growth (6.39%). So, it is needless to mention that China will become the most powerful country in the world. The relation between India and China is also not good, because these two world powers are Facing off against each other along their disputed border in the Himalayan region.
Since 1962 after the India-China war when India was defeated by China, till now the toxic relation is continued and it getting worse day by day. Chinese companies are already active and have occupied several markets and using their economic power China trying to control both Asian and African countries. Recently China is taking the initiative of ‘One Belt, One Road’14 and creating an economic corridor in the name of development. Due to this project, other countries will be even more dependent on China. To counter China India has brought a Smart solution that can give India a major advantage against China to fight back with a similar strategy. The ambitious Project of One Sun, One World, One Grid. If this project becomes successful all the people of the earth will be benefited from this.
Solar power is the safest and most infinite source of energy that can be easily accessible for making electricity. According to some research in a single hour, the amount of power that strikes the earth from the sun is more than the entire world consumes in a year. The cost of producing energy will be reduced. It will also help the entire world to get the electricity all time. On the other hand, solar power is completely clean and beneficial for a healthy environment. It does not affect greenhouse gas, no air pollution, no water pollution and it has not released any harmful exhalation when the electricity is being produced. This will reduce or save a huge amount of cost like maintenance cost, and also the other cost, that India which was invested in other method or other sources of producing electricity, by Making this project true India can invest this saved money to other sectors which are good for a good economy.
The main importance of this project is a Suitable climate for India. Out of the 5 biggest solar plants in the world, 3 solar plants are in India itself. We all know that we cannot store the electricity efficiently and effectively in a place, after generating electricity it is transported and then used. Due to this reason, we need to constantly match the supply of electricity with the demand. To maintain this supply chain, we invent the grid system in every country. In this project, the aim is to connect all the grid of the country to One single grid by which it will solve all the problem of not being able to produce solar energy like lack of land to fix solar panel or other reason like cloudy climate, etc. There will be continuous day and night in the countries of the Middle-East for the ecliptic motion of the earth and by the idea of this project of one grid electricity will be kept on generating, transmitting and distributing all over the world.
Novelty of the Project
This project is mainly talking about clean energy by proposing the project ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’. India wants to connect all the grids of the world to One grid to produce solar power and supply all over the world by this one grid. This might be the most ambitious project in the world. Through this plan, India will make a history of building a healthy global ecosystem and sustainability. India can effectively complete such ambitious projects. For example, a massive solar plant adjoining the at ‘Cochin Airport’ produces 50,000 to 60,000units of electricity every day. It not only taking care of the need of the airport but it also supplying excess electricity into the grid of the Kerala State Electricity Board. It becomes the world’s first solar power airport where all the energy needs are fulfilled by solar clean energy. Right now, they have 46000 solar panels which is huge. The total cost of this project is Rs. 620 million and India recover the cost within 4 years.
Similarly, Kolkata airport is also following this idea, and now it becomes self-sufficient in solar energy. This proves the power of India; India not only dreams they can also fulfill the dream. India wants to connect the world but not with economic dominance, but by sharing economic benefits. One day India will be the most powerful country with an economy, and energy sector by this project. It can be assumed that this project is strong enough to call it a future OPEC. However, India has already a power trad system, according to the (ISA) International Solar Alliance. At present India, supplied electricity to Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, also there are now several plans to connect Sri Lanka with power transmission lines as well. By the project of OSOWOG, the way of supplying will be an honor for India.
Difficulties faced by the One World, One Sun, One Grid Project
Despite having this much advantage in solar and other renewable energy sources and we all know the benefits of solar power, more than 61% of India’s power output generates coal. According to the US. Energy Information Administration solar provides around 0.65% of the electricity. If solar energy-free and solar energy are good for the environment then why can’t we switch to solar energy? There are several problems with solar energy. 1st solar energy is ‘Intermittent’, this means on cloudy days or during the monsoons we can’t generate solar energy basically at night. So, we can’t generate energy 24-hours continuously. 2nd solar energy is ‘Diluted’ it is not concentrated in one spot that’s why if we build solar plants and generate more energy, we have to take a lot of land space.
Unlike India, other small countries that do have not enough land space to build solar plants will consider investing in a thermal power plant to generate more power in a small area. Solar energy, mainly electricity can’t be stored, after generating energy we have to transfer then we can use and use as per need. According to the IEA’s Renewables 2020 report, China is home to the world’s largest solar-power market. China is the world’s leader in solar technology and it supplies all kinds of equipment that require to build the solar plant. After the pandemic of the Covid-19 hit, India has banned all kind of thing that comes from China.
India-China’s trade and import-export have been stopped totally but before the pandemic, most of the technological thing of any sector have come from China, China was the biggest trade partner of India and the main problem is this all-solar cell of our country comes from China. Because India didn’t focus on manufacturing. India has not enough technology to build this super project. Now when India Band all the things from China, then how we can fulfill this project without the types of equipment that are needed. This is an opportunity for India to focus on manufacturing all the things that need not only solar plants but the thing that need in any kind of sector or any technology, considering conserving the environment as an opportunity. Environment and economy don’t have to be on different sides we just need to execute all the needs and backup with good projects.
Progress of this Project
This project is huge and it will take a long time, right from investment to execute this plan has a lot of challenges also on 26th May 2020 the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited proposals from eligible consulting firms. To effectively execute this plan, we need to have a proper road map and proper institutional framework. Taking into consideration, to execute this OSOWOG project India also looking at setting up a World Solar Bank (WSB) that may require a total equity amount of 10 billion dollars, this means the country that cannot afford the money to invest in this project can take lone from this organization. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12th May, in his address to the nation during the pandemic Modi said, “International Solar Alliance is India’s gift against Global Warming”. The process of implementing the project is put on hold Until further notice. The main reason for delaying the process is Covid-19.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, needless to say, that this ambitious project is good for the world environment and has the potential to modify the world with a new and smart idea. There is some difficulty with this project, but India needs to weak up, there are many skilled workers and technicians in India. We have other sectors from where we can or a company that can help India to be self-dependent and self-sufficient. We need to stop ‘Brain Drain’ to keep our highly skilled and educated people in our country the Indian Government needs to focus on the Country’s economy. The government needs to invest the money in the industry and other sectors, not on the election expenditure.
We need to solve the problems inside the country then only we will be successful in the international matter. The most important thing is while fighting the war against China we don’t have to be like China we have to be better, so we will be the leader one day but not only for our personal benefit (India’s) but also, we have to make sure that the whole world gets benefited by the initiative. We all have to believe that faster growth is possible even while keeping balance with the environment.