
Member • Sep 20, 2013
World's largest solar power plant to be built in Rajasthan, India

Solar Power Plant [Image Source: Wikipedia]
The project will be constructed in phases. In the first phase, capacity of about 1000 MW will be reached and it's expected to be completed by 2016. The first phase will also offer insights and learning from the challenges faced during construction. Using this knowledge, further expansion will be carried out. The models on which the plant will be based are being worked out. The project will require about 23,000 acres of land out of which majority of the land (about 18000 acres) will be provided by Hindustan Salts Limited.
Ashwini Kumar, director of solar energy corporation said that the Government is aiming to keep the tariff at Rs. 5.50 per unit; arguably lowest ever in the country. The project won't reach its full capacity until 2022 to add full 4k MW of power to the national power grid.
The Rajasthan Solar plant will compete directly with the Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) in California Mojave desert in the United States; which currently is the largest solar power plant in the world. But it's entire capacity is just 354 MW. Once the Rajasthan plant reaches its first phase, its capacity will be more than twice that of the SEGS solar plant.
We do not have information about the technical details of the plant. Typically, the solar power plants use photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert light energy into electricity. The mirrors and lenses reflect and focus all the sunlight on a small beam at the center of the solar array.
The solar plant will definitely be national pride for India. We promise to keep track of the developments and keep you informed.