New Delhi, Oct. 20 -- The outcome of a recent effort by the Indian government to solicit long-duration green electricity is a cause for cheer. A tender by the centrally owned Solar Energy Corporation of India for the supply of 1GW of round-the-clock (RTC) renewable energy, enough to power a state like Goa, recently discovered a tariff of Rs.5.25 per unit.

While tariffs have been falling in recent years and attempts have been made in the past to secure RTC supplies, this news stands out for a key reason. It assures high availability levels for long periods of time so that high demand can reliably be met across the country at all times of the day.

This is a valuable form of energy security. Not only is it clean in terms of carbon emission...