With great concern being voiced, about the decreasing fossil fuel reserves and increasing environmental pollution, resulting from the burning of large quantities of fossil fuel, the use of renewable sources of energy that are never ending and relatively cleaner, has gained a lot of importance. Since the eighties, a lot of thought has gone into how we can extend the life of our fossil fuel reserves and as a consequence cut down on pollution. A lot of work has been done on using renewable sources of energy like solar/wind/tidal etc.

        India, in last 2-3 years, has seen significant attempts at harnessing these renewable sources of energy. In India, which has average five and a half hours daily peak sunshine hours, solar energy is the most suitable of all renewable sources. The topography and demographic pattern also indicated the suitability of its use. The large gestation period and the high initial investment in conventional sources of energy, couple with the fact that providing energy to the remote areas might prove economically and at times even physically impossible. The government of India, to stick to its commitment to provide energy sources to the economically and socially backward, took up the use of solar energy as a priority agenda item.