Published on 30th July 2023
In the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, India has emerged as a prominent player in the global solar industry. With abundant sunlight and a growing demand for clean energy, the nation has witnessed the rapid development of numerous solar farms across its diverse landscapes. These solar power plants exemplify India's commitment to harnessing renewable resources and reducing carbon emissions.
In this blog, we analyze India's top 10 solar farms in terms of operational capacities, development, cost, and environmental impacts. Also, this blog highlights the remarkable advancements in the solar energy sector in India.
India is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of solar power development. The country has a target of installing 100 GW of solar power by 2022 and is well on track to meet this target. In fact, India is expected to install more solar power in 2023 than any other country in the world.
There are a number of factors driving solar project development in India. These include:
|
Solar Plant Name |
Location |
Cost (INR Crores) |
Capacity (MW) |
Operator |
|
Bhadla Solar Park |
Jodhpur, Rajasthan |
14,000 |
2,245 |
Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
|
Pavagada Solar Park |
Tumkur, Karnataka |
16,500 |
2,050 |
Solar Power Developers India Limited (SPDIL) |
|
Ananthapuram Ultra Mega Solar Park |
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh |
6,000 |
1,500 |
NTPC |
|
Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park |
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh |
7,500 |
1,000 |
NTPC |
|
NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park |
Ananthapuram, Andhra Pradesh |
15,000 |
978 |
Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
|
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park |
Rewa, Madhya Pradesh |
4,500 |
750 |
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) |
|
Kamuthi Solar Power Project |
Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu |
6500 |
648 |
Adani Green Energy Limited |
|
Mandsaur Solar Park |
Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh |
3,000 |
600 |
Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL) |
|
Bhadla Phase-II |
Jodhpur, Rajasthan |
2,500 |
500 |
SECI |
|
Charanka Solar Park |
Patan, Gujarat |
2,000 |
500 |
Gujarat Solar Power Corporation Limited (GSPCL) |
Bhadla solar power plant in Rajasthan is not only the largest solar power plant in India but also the largest solar farm in the world with an installed capacity of 2245 MW. The amount of electricity it produces can power over 1 million homes. Located in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, this biggest solar power plant in India spreads across an area of 56 km2.
The park was developed in four phases:
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)signed a 25-year power purchase deal for the generated electricity from Bhadla solar PV plant.
Read more about Bhadla Solar Park - the biggest solar plant in the world here.
The park, known as Shakti Sthala is located around 180 km from Bengaluru in the Pavagada region of the Tumkur district. It is spread over 13,000 acres of land that has been taken from 2,300 farmers on a 25-year lease. The total capacity of this solar park is said to be 2,000 megawatts.
The project was developed by Karnataka Solar Power Development Corp. Ltd (KSPDCL) - a joint venture between the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL).
The park is one of a kind when comes to land acquisition costs as zero rupees were spent to acquire land. KSPDCL implemented an innovative plug-and-play model wherein blocks of land were acquired and auctioned to solar development companies after receiving the necessary government approvals.
The project was planned in two phases. The first phase is for 600 MW generation of power which is operational and the remaining 1,400 MW (under construction) is to be commissioned in the second phase by the end of 2023. The approximate budget is calculated to be INR 16,500 crore (USD 2.1 Billion).
Read this article for more details about this project.
The Ananthapuram Ultra Mega Solar Park (AUMSolar) is an expansive solar park in Anantapur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Spread across a total area of 32.07 KM2, it boasts the rank of the third-largest solar park in India. It ranks closely behind the Golmud Solar Park in China and the Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan and Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka.
Developed in two phases by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the AUMSolar park saw its first phase, boasting a capacity of 250 MW, commissioned in May 2016, while the second phase, with an impressive capacity of 750 MW, was successfully commissioned in March 2018. The project's overall cost amounted to INR 6,000 crore (USD 810 million).
The AUMSolar Park plays a pivotal role in advancing India's renewable energy ambitions, generating sufficient electricity to power over 800,000 homes and substantially reducing the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. Moreover, the park has proven instrumental in generating employment opportunities and stimulating the local economy.
Beyond its undeniable environmental and economic advantages, the AUMSolar Park stands as a testament to cutting-edge technology. Employing state-of-the-art solar technology, the park ensures efficient and reliable electricity generation. Furthermore, it incorporates innovative features such as a dust control system and a water harvesting system.
The Kurnool Solar Park, situated in the arid region of Gani and Sakunala villages within the Kurnool district, covers an extensive area of 24 KM2. This solar park harnesses the power of over 4 million solar panels. The capacities of these panels range from 315 to 320 watts.
These solar panels are efficiently integrated into four 220/33 kV pooling stations, each with a capacity of 250 MW, and a 400/220 kV grid substation. The entire system is connected by an intricate network of nearly 2,000 circuit kilometers of cables.
The project received sanction from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under a state-specific bundling scheme. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was selected as the implementing agency responsible for issuing tenders and conducting competitive bidding, including reverse auctions, to choose solar power developers. The selected developers supply power to the Andhra Pradesh Power Distribution Companies (APDISCOMs).
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) is a joint venture between the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). It was incorporated in 2015 to develop and operate the 750 MW Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project (Rewa UMSPP).
The Rewa UMSPP is one of the largest single-site solar power plants in the world. It is spread over an area of 6.4 KM2 in the Gurh tehsil of Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh, India. The project was commissioned in January 2020 and is currently operational.
RUMSL is also developing other solar parks in Madhya Pradesh under the Indian Government’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Projects (UMREPP) scheme. As per this scheme, RUMSL is tasked with the end-to-end development of Solar Power Projects.
Apart from the 750 MW Rewa Solar Project, RUMSL has also developed a 250 MW Mandsaur Solar Park. The Rewa solar PV project has been successfully supplying affordable and clean electricity to the state-owned discom - Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company (MPPMCL) and Delhi Metro Corporation Limited (DMRC).
RUMSL is also developing the 600 MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park - one of the largest floating solar projects in India, 1500 MW Chattarpur Solar Park, and 1400 MW Morena Solar Park.
Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a photovoltaic power station spread over an area of 10 KM2 in Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. Developed and commissioned by Adani Power, the 648 MW, this Tamil Nadu solar park was completed in 2016. The total cost of the project is estimated at INR 6500 Crores (USD 820 million).
The solar plant consists of 2.5 million solar modules, 380,000 foundations, 27,000 meters of structures, 576 inverters, 154 transformers, and almost 6,000 km of cables. 30,000 tonnes of galvanized steel has been used to construct the support structures for mounting the solar panels. With an installation pace of 11 MW per day, the entire project was completed within 8 months.
The entire solar park is connected to a 400 kV substation of the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corp. Furthermore, ABB India constructed and commissioned five sub-stations to connect the solar park with the National Grid on in 2016.
The Mandsaur Solar Park is a 250 MW solar park located in Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is spread over an area of 2 KM2 and was commissioned in September 2017.
The park was developed by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) under the CPSU Scheme Phase-I of MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy). The project supplies 100% of power to the state discom - Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Ltd (MPPMCL).
The evacuation plan for the project is divided into 2 phases. As per this plan, power is being evacuated temporarily through Phase-I connectivity in Suwasra. Phase II work is ongoing which involves providing permanent connectivity of a 220 kV transmission line from Suwasra to the upcoming 220/400 kV MPPTCL substation in Sitamau, Mandsaur. MPPTCL 220/400 kV substation is expected to be commissioned by March 2020.
The Bhadla Phase 2 solar project is a 750 MW solar park located in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India. It is spread over an area of 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres) and was commissioned in August 2017. The park was developed by the Rajasthan Solar Park Development Company Limited (RSPDCL) and is one of the largest solar parks in India.
The Bhadla Phase 2 solar project is known to use smart technology in photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The panels are planned to be mounted on trackers that follow the sun's movement across the sky, which maximizes the amount of electricity generated. The electricity generated by the park is sold to the national electricity grid of India and helps to meet India's growing demand for renewable energy.
Charanka Solar Park or Gujarat Solar Park-1 is a prominent solar power plant located near Charanka village in Gujarat, India. Covering an extensive area of around 20 KM2, the plant boasts an installed generation capacity of approximately 600 MW as of 2018. A further extension of an additional 190 MW is under installation.
Inaugurated by then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, in 2012, the park began with a capacity of around 250 MW. being one of the first solar PV projects in India, it became the world's third-largest solar photovoltaic power station upon completion.
By March 2016, the park had achieved an installed capacity of 345 MW. Subsequently, in April 2018, the Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL), the primary developer of the project, expressed intentions to add a further 150 MW to reach a total capacity of 790 MW, given the availability of land in the park.
Here are some more solar projects under various phases of development in India are:
| Project | Location | Capacity (MW) | Operator |
| Ananthapuramu – II | Ananthapuram, Andhra Pradesh | 400 | Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
| Galiveedu solar park | Ananthapuram, Andhra Pradesh | 400 | Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
| Mandsaur Solar Farm | Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh | 250 | Madhya Pradesh Solar Energy Corporation (MPSERC) |
| Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park | Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh | 250 | Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
| Sakri Solar Plant | Dhule, Maharashtra | 125 | Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) |
| NTPC Solar Plants | Various locations | 110 | NTPC |
| Maharashtra I Solar Power Plants | Various locations | 67 | Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) |
| Green Energy Development Corporation (GEDCOL) | Odisha | 50 | GEDCOL |
| Tata Power Solar Systems (TPS) | Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh | 50 | Tata Power |
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