Switch to solar energy for a sustainable future, says IPCC chief

New Delhi, Feb 4 (ANI): The UN Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chief R. K Pachauri called upon the tycoons of Indian trade and industry to opt decisively for solar energy if sustainable future has to be ensured.

Addressing a seminar on 'Vision for a Sustainable Tomorrow- Business as a Game Changer' related to the World CEO Forum-2010 at New Delhi on Thursday, Pachauri said, India has a target to generate 20,000 megawatts of solar power by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan.

"One of the major things that is going to be part of, one of the major activities that's going to be part of the national action plan on climate change, is the very first of the eight missions that have been identified and that's the solar energy mission," Pachauri said.

"This is a very ambitious and a very visionary plan because by 2021-2022, that's the fiscal year. The intention is for the country to establish 20,000 megawatts of solar energy and this does not include other form of energy, just solar power generating capacity. And I think this is where businesses and industry has to seize the opportunity," he added.

In January, the Union Government launched ambitious National Solar Energy Mission. This programme boasts of sustaining the country's growth based on renewable and clean sources of energy in the near future.

Under its National Solar Mission programme, India is planning to have an installed capacity of 20,000 MWs of solar energy by 2022. (ANI)