What is Solar Power, why its Industry is Booming and Top 8 Solar Power Projects in India:

What is Solar Power, why its Industry is Booming and Top 8 Solar Power Projects in India: 

Solar Energy:

• The way we are exploiting natural resources especially petroleum products for our needs, the day is not far when we will fully exploit these natural resources and then we have to find an alternative. Solar energy is the solution to this big problem coming in the future. All oil and gas storage will almost certainly end in the near future. Therefore, we need to work unitedly for this problem that is coming from now. Solar energy is clean energy, which we can use without polluting and damaging the environment.
• Only a very small part of the solar energy received from the sun is used as solar energy. Solar energy is a process of converting energy received by sun rays into electricity either directly using photovoltaics, indirectly using concentrated solar energy or a mixture. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight on a small beam. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electrical current using the photovoltaic effect.
• Photovoltaics were initially solely used as a source of electricity for little and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by one photovoltaic cell to remote homes powered by an off-grid rooftop PV system. Commercial concentrated solar energy plants were first developed within the 1980s. As the cost of solar electricity has fallen, the amount of grid-connected solar PV systems has grown into the millions and utility-scale photovoltaic power stations with many megawatts are being built. Solar PV is rapidly becoming a cheap, low-carbon technology to harness renewable energy from the Sun. The current largest photovoltaic power plant within the world is that the Pavagada Solar Park, Karnataka, India with a generation capacity of 2050 MW.
• It is projected by International Energy Agency that by 2050, Solar power will contribute around 25%-30% of the worldwide electricity consumption and solar power will be one of the largest sources of electricity. It is also assumed that India and China will lead the world in this. India has already taken some important step in this direction and formed "The International Solar Alliance", as a founder member. Headquarter of ISA is in India. India also gave a slogan for this “One Sun One World One Grid”, and also formed a “World Solar Bank” to use the exuberant Solar Power on World Stage.

Why Solar Industry is Booming: 

• Solar Industries has seen a boom in past few years, none other industry has seen this kind of boom, the way the Solar Industry has seen it over the years. The main reason behind this boom is, it is environment friendly and less costly compared to electricity.
• When we use Thermal Power Plant, Nuclear Power Plant, Coal Power Plant, Hydro Power Plant to generate electricity, we pollute and damage our environment, and power generation through these methods are also costly. Whereas Solar Power is eco-friendly and less costly and easy to install even it can be used in a household too.
• By using Solar Energy, we can reduce Carbon Footprints too, which ultimately will create a healthy environment around us.
• The way electricity bills are increasing more and more every year caused an unnecessary burden on the consumers, Solar Power is a good alternative as it is cheap and we can manage our bills by using this, it is a kind of one-time investment.
• Give employment to the people who live nearby or those who are local.
• The reason for this boom in solar energy is its never-ending sunlight. Man-made resources of energy require raw materials which will perish in the near future but sunlight is never going to end. This is the reason why there is such a boom in the field of solar energy today. All the big companies have come down in this area. Solar energy is the best source of renewed energy.

India is doing great in the Solar Power field. Here are some ambitious Top 8 Solar Power Project of India-

1. Bhadla Solar Park:

• Situated at: Bhadla, Phalodi, Jodhpur District, Rajasthan.
• Commissioned: March 20, 2020
• Construction Cost: ₹ 100 Billion (1.4 Billion USD)
• Capacity: 2245 MW
• About:  

1. Bhadla Solar Park is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Bhadla a sandy, dry, and arid region with an area of about 45 square Km, Bhadla has located about 200 km from Jodhpur and around 320 km from the pink city Jaipur. The area is known as "almost uninhabitable" because of its climate. The temperatures in Bhadla lies between 46 and 48 °C, along with hot winds and sand storms during the summer season. Bap is a village that is situated around 50 Km from Bhadla, is the nearest place where people live. Phalodi is the nearest town which is 80 Km from Bhadla Solar sites.
2. Bhadla Solar Park is the world’s biggest operational solar park in terms of power generation and the world’s second solar park in terms of Area. This solar park is situated in 14,000 acres area (5,700 ha) and has Flat-type PV solar plate are used.
3. Work is also being done to supply the electricity produced in Bhadla Solar Park to different parts of the state through grid sub-stations and height lines. It is also claimed that about 800 MW of power is being supplied to Uttar Pradesh from Bhadla Solar Park.

2. Pavagada Solar Park:

• Situated at: Pavagada, Tumkur District, Karnataka
• Commissioned: March 2018
• Construction Cost: ₹ 14,425 Crore
• Capacity: 2050 MW
• About:

1.  Pavagada Solar Park is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Pavagada Solar Park is spread over an area of about 13,000 acres in Pavagada in the Tumkur district of Karnataka. Pavagada Solar Park has a capacity of 2,050 MW. Pavagada Solar Park is the second-largest photovoltaic solar park in the world after the 2245 MW Bhadala Solar Park in Rajasthan. The construction cost of Pavagadh Solar Park is said to be around 14,800 crores.
2. At the time of commissioning, Pavagada Solar Park was the world’s largest solar power plant, but in 2020 when Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan was commissioned then it became number 2.
3. In Pavagada Solar Park Flat-type PV solar plate are used.

3. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park:

• Situated at: Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh
• Commissioned: March 2017
• Construction Cost: ₹ 70 Billion (980 Billion USD)
• Capacity: 1000 MW
• About: 

1. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park is spread over an area of 24 square kilometres in Panyam Mandal of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
2. The capacity of Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park is 1000 MW.
3. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park was inaugurated by the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Nara Chandrababu Naidu on 8 Jan 2019.
4. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park was built by an investment of around ₹70 billion done by Solar Power Developers and the Central and State Governments.
5. In Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park Flat-type PV solar plate is used.

4. NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park:

• Situated at: Nambulapulakunta, Ananthapur District, Andhra Pradesh
• Commissioned: May 2016
• Capacity: 900 MW but planned to extend up to 1500 MW
• About:  

1. NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. The NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park is also known as Ananthapuram Ultra Mega Solar Park. NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park is spread over a total area of 32 square kilometres in Nambulapulakunta Mandal in the Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
2. Tata Power Solar has commissioned a 100 MW solar project in August 2016, at the park built over an area of 500 acres. This was said to be the largest solar project commissioned using domestically manufactured solar cells and modules at the time.
3. In NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park around 900 MW of energy is produced, this will become 1500 MW in near future after the expansion of the park.
4. In NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park Flat-type PV solar plate is used.

5. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar:

• Situated at: Rewa District, Madhya Pradesh
• Commissioned: July 2018
• Construction Cost: ₹ 4,500 Crore (658 Million USD)
• Capacity: 750 MW
• About:

1. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar is the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier. At that time, it was one of the largest solar power plants in India and was Asia's Largest Single site solar plant.
2. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar is an operational ground-mounted, grid-connected photovoltaic solar park that is spread over an area of 1,590 acres in the Gurh of Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh.
3. The Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project was commissioned with 750 MW capacity towards the end of 2019.
4. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited is the implementing agency of the project, and Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project is a combined venture between the Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikash Nigam Limited and the Solar Energy Corporation of India.
5. In Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Flat-type PV solar plate are used.

6. Charanka Solar Park (Gujrat Solar Park-1):

• Situated at: Charanka, Patan District, Gujrat
• Commissioned: 2012
• Capacity: 615 MW
• About:

1. Charanka Solar Park (Gujrat Solar Park-1) is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Charanka Solar Park is also known as Gujarat Solar Park-1. Charanka Solar Park is a solar power plant which is situated near Charanka village in the Patan district of Gujarat.
2. Charanka Solar Park is spread over an area of 4,900 acres. Charanka Solar Park had installed a generation capacity of about 600 MW as of 2018, and an additional 190 MW generation capacity is under installation.
3. In Charanka Solar Park (Gujrat Solar Park-1) Flat-type PV solar plate are used.

7. Kamuthi Solar Power Project:

• Situated at: Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu
• Commissioned: March 2017
• Construction Cost: ₹ 51 Billion (720 Million USD)
• Capacity: 648 MW
• About:  

1. Kamuthi Solar Power Project is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a photovoltaic power station that is spread over an area of 2,500 acres and situated at Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu state.
2. The project was commissioned by Adani Power, Kamuthi Solar Power Project has a power generation capacity of 648 MWp at a single location. It is the world's 12th largest solar park based on capacity.
3. Kamuthi Solar Park is connected to Tamil Nadu Corporation's 400 kV substation for power transmission in Tamil Nadu. Solar panels at Kamuthi Solar Park are cleaned on daily basis by a self-charging robotic system.
4. In Kamuthi Solar Power Project Flat-type PV solar plate are used.

8. Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park:

• Situated at: Mylavaram Mandal, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh
• Commissioned: 2018
• Capacity: 250 MW (750 MW under construction)
• About:  

1. Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park is one of the top 8 Solar Power Projects in India. Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park is a solar park that is spread over an area of 5,927 acres in the Mylavaram Mandal of Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh.
2. The Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park project is being implemented by the Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Limited, which is a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation and the New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd.
3. In Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park Flat-type PV solar plate is used.
4. Currently, Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park’s power generation capacity is 250 MW and another 750 MW power generation capacity is under construction. After this construction work, Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park will generate 1000 MW of power.