The Indian government has shown another clear sign that it intends to turn to solar energy to provide much needed electricity generating capacity. Initial plans for a massive 4 GW utility scale PV power plant were unveiled today.
However while the staggering scale of the project will turn heads within the PV industry, its realization will be a long term concern. Construction of stage one of the power plant, as announced today by the Indian governments press information bureau, is set to be completed in 2016.
The project is to be located in the Rajasthan province, approximately 75 km from the city of Jaipur. Praful Patel, the minister of heavy industries and public enterprises, initiated the process to develop the vast project and has pointed to a 23,000 acre piece of land in the region for the development.
The project has the working title of Sambhar Ultra-Mega Green Solar Power Project.
The first 1 GW phase of the project is to be developed through a joint venture company, with equity from various partners including the Solar Energy Corporation of India and Power Grid Corporation of India.
The government statement indicates that India intends to set a global example with the vast project. "Being the first project of this scale anywhere in the world this project is expected to set a trend for large scale solar power development in the world," todays statement reads.
There is no indication in the statement whether PV or CSP technology will be utilized in the green power plant or in any of the composite stages.
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Jonathan Gifford
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