Sunny Makes Her Case: A Graphic Novel (Sunny #5)

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Despite having lots of tropical sunshine, India gets about 70% of its electricity from burning coal – which exacerbates air pollution that's already some of the worst in the world. But this year, the country has also installed a record volume of solar energy. On a much smaller scale, Indian farmers often use a solar panel or two to run irrigation pumps in rural areas, where the electricity grid is shaky. And at the U.N.'s recently-concluded COP27 climate talks, India repeated a pledge to get half of its energy needs from non-fossil fuels by that same year.

Vyas says it's typically around three to five years for most of his customers. But that's decreasing, he says. Rising global electricity prices make solar panels even more attractive now. Most of India's renewable energy comes from massive solar farms in the deserts of Rajasthan or Gujarat. Many are public-private partnerships run by utility companies, sending electricity into the grid. The Indian government is also opening up more coastal areas to offshore wind energy. Weaknesses: I would like to see more involvement of Sunny's family, and am voting that the next book be a road trip in a station wagon that includes the grandfather!

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In 2017, Vyas co-founded Koku Solar, a company that's since installed hundreds of small-scale solar projects on residential rooftops in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai is the capital. He and his business partner, Chinmay Divekar, gave NPR a tour of one of their latest solar projects, on the roof of a high-rise residential society – the Indian equivalent of a condo association – northeast of Mumbai. China and the U.S. still invest more in renewables on an annual basis. But India's investments – particularly in solar – are growing faster, due to what Bhadwal calls an "aggressive" campaign by the government.

The maybe-flirting undertones between Tony and Sunny was sweet and I found her mother’s suspicion to be funny. Her Gramps also makes an appearance in the story, which made for a fun sub-plot. It was entertaining to see Sunny’s experience working her first job, and at the country club no less! She builds relationships with the other kids working there and learns valuable lessons, like why you shouldn’t run at the pool. Overall: Sunny Makes a Splash (Sunny #4) A worker walks past lines of solar panels at the Roha Dyechem solar project in the western northwest Indian state of Rajasthan. It's not necessary to read the other Sunny books to understand the story here -- it stands well alone, though having read the other Sunny books would help you understand her relationship with her grandfather and her friends a little better. It's a fun, lighthearted story, never too heavy or serious and a fun look at the misadventures of one memorable summer. As Ronald “Mac” McDonald, Rob McElhenney is Charlie’s childhood friend and the son of a convicted felon who often evidences amoral behavior and signs of body dysmorphia. McElhenney not only stars in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but he acts as a creator and executive producer on the show as well. Before his work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, McElhenney had a hand in a variety of other projects, including small roles in movies like Wonder Boys, A Civil Action, and Latter Days. But through the haze, there are twinkling signs of hope popping up on rooftops across India's sprawling megacities: solar panels.Jay Vyas, left, and his partner, Chinmay Divekar, are solar entrepreneurs, installing hundreds of small-scale solar projects on residential rooftops. Sunny Makes a Splash is a delightful addition to the Sunny series suited for slightly older readers as Sunny finds a potential romantic interest. This graphic novel features a perfect depiction of 70’s summer experiences and a relatable protagonist working her first summer job before her last year of middle school. It will make for an enjoyable reading experience for older tweens — and even some younger ones! At one of the high-rise buildings where he's installed Indian-made panels, the condo association manager, Swati Nevgi, says her communal bill for electricity in common areas – operating a bank of elevators, lights in the hallways, air conditioning in the lobby – has dropped by about a third. That means the building re-cooped its investment in roughly three years.

I think it's one of the fastest-growing industries in the country," says climate change expert Suruchi Bhadwal. She spoke to NPR by phone from the COP27 talks in Egypt. "Even the U.S. has not boosted its installed capacity so much, so fast."

Scientists say that's ambitious, and that India will need to boost its solar capacity even more if it has any hope of keeping that promise.