Solar power is the fastest growing part of the global energy industry. Inderpreet Wadhwa, CEO of Azure Power, one of the largest solar power producers in India, sat down with us to discuss why India is well positioned to capitalize on the trend.
Wadhwa emphasizes that over 200 million people in India do not have electricity. He says there is a lot of potential because solar radiation is available in most parts of the country, and India has over 300 days of sun. The fact that India is an emerging economy and has to build new infrastructure is another advantage, he says, because the country can "leapfrog" coal industry infrastructure.
For Azure Power, it is important to work closely with the government. Wadhwa says energy in India is highly regulated so they need favorable government policy. 90% of the company's contracts are with the government. With the price of solar much cheaper than energy consumed in many industries, Wadhwa says they are now doing more commercial contracts with industries such as the hotels.
Officials warned residents and tourists packing Mediterranean destinations on Tuesday to stay indoors during the hottest hours as the second heat wave in as many weeks hits the region and Greece, Spain and Switzerland battled wildfires.
While the East Coast grappled with the aftermath of downpours that closed roads and rendered the water supply undrinkable in places, the West and other parts of the country contended with sizzling temperatures and unsafe air quality attributed to Canadian wildfires.
U.S. officials on Monday approved the first long-acting drug to protect babies and toddlers against a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year.
