India to build largest solar energy system in the world

September 26, 2013 0 By Angie Bergenson

Indian solar energy project to reach 4,000MW of capacity

The Indian government has partnered with several state-owned companies in order to develop the largest solar energy system in the world. The project is set to boast of a total capacity of 4,000 megawatts and will be located in Rajasthan, the western state of India. The country’s interest in solar energy has been gaining momentum in recent years as the strain on fossil-fuels continues to grow. India has been working to embrace clean power for economic and environmental reasons.

State-owned companies work to develop new project

Five state-owned companies will be participating in the solar energy project. These companies are BHEL, the Powergrid Corporation, Solar Energy Corporation of India, Hindustan Salts, and Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited. The project will be developed in a series of phases, with the first phase focused on the projects’ initial 1,000 megawatts of capacity. The first phase of the project is expected to begin development in 2016 and will make the project ten times larger than any other solar energy system in India currently.

Largest Solar Energy System in the WorldIndia to receive new coal power plants

While India has been showing more interest in solar energy, the country has also remained firmly reliant on coal. Recently, Tata Power, one of the largest private utilities in the country, commissioned the development of a new coal power plant, called the Ultra Mega Power Plant. This facility is also to boast of a capacity of 4,000 megawatts. Three similar power plants, each using coal, have also been commissioned and are currently under construction in India.

Solar energy may be a more economic option for the country

The new coal power plants that are being built in India are entirely reliant on imported coal. This means that these facilities are somewhat costly. Solar energy could be an economic solution to this problem as there are no costs associated with the importation of sunlight. Moreover, construction of new solar energy systems creates a variety of new jobs, which can stimulate the local economies that these systems call home.

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