India’s Kamuthi Solar Power Plant Smashes Records

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Increasing interest in solar energy across the globe has recently seen the completion of some of the largest solar energy parks and farms ever designed. For many countries the driving force behind the establishment of these solar energy facilities has been an effort to cut down on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels such as coal used in power stations. For countries like China and India the use of these fuels has caused enormous environmental damage and increasingly dire situation as far as air quality is concerned.

One of these mega projects that has recently been completed is the Kamuthi Solar Power Plant in India.

The scale of the project is breathtaking.

The plant which is in the state of Tamil Nadu covers an area of nearly 4 square miles. The output of the plant is also in keeping with its sheer size – it produces enough power to support 150,000 American type homes – 648 megawatts in total. The project produces 100 megawatts more than the Topaz Solar Farm in California which for many years held top honors as the largest in the world.

Everything about the project staggers the imagination. The cost alone was $679 million. The specifications of the equipment that is sued to keep the project producing energy is larger than life size. It required the sinking of 380,000 foundations and boasts a staggering two and a half million solar panels. The energy produced is harnessed by nearly 600 inverters and 154 transformers.

It’s not only the sheer scale of the project that is fascinating. Some of the technology being employed to keep it operational reads like something out of a science fiction novel. Take for instance the robotic cleaning system that keeps the panels clean and operating at maximum efficiency. this system is completely autonomous – and is also powered by solar energy.

The speed at which the plant was completed is also a source of wonder. The Topaz facility in California took two full years to complete. Although the Kamuthi plant is larger it was completed in a record 8 months. The Topaz plant also cost around $2.5 billion to bring online – Kamuthi with its bargain basement price of $679 million seems a bargain in comparison.

India is completely committed to increasing its use of renewable energy and the government is currently in the process of raising around $1 trillion to ensure that the country reduces its reliance on fossil fuels which is currently wreaking havoc with the environment.

Andhra Pradesh will be the focal point for further solar parks that will be even larger than the Kamuthi plant. The planning process for these additional plants is already well advanced and will see India maintaining its current position as one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to harnessing the power of solar energy.

India is fast approaching third spot behind China and the United Sates of America as leaders in the production of solar power.

The urgency of the roll out of further products was brought into sharp focus when analysis of the air quality of New Delhi was analyzed by the U.S. consulate and found to be well above what their analysts classify as ‘hazardous.’ The cost of the air pollution – both in terms of the effect of the quality of life and health of Indian citizens and the loss of productivity is difficult to quantify – but it is having a material impact on the development of the country.

Projects like Kamuthi will see India wean itself from it dependency on coal and remain a leading light in the use of solar.

What Are The Top 5 Largest Solar Power Installations In The World?

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The world’s two most populous countries – China and India have begun to invest heavily in alternative energy sources in a bid to move away from fossil fuels. There are a number of reasons for this, but perhaps the most important of these reasons are the fact that reliance on fossil fuels such as coal for power plants means using a finite resource. eventually it is going to run out. But perhaps even more pressing for these two countries is the absolute necessity to reduce air pollution levels which are affecting their urban areas to such an extent that it is leading to health problems among their citizens and having a severe impact on productivity.

As an example China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon – much of it from power plants. In fact China emits twice as much CO2 as the United States. China has recognized the problem and has pledged to source 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 – and a large amount of this will come from solar projects.

It’s also been recognized by these countries that the rapid advances in solar power technology means that it is now the cheapest form of power generation on the planet – with costs now coming in at around dollar 0.03 per kilowatt hour.

However, the United States which once led the world as far as solar technology and mega installations has not been left in the dust. It still has some of the largest solar farms in the world.

So what are the top 5 solar installations in terms of size and generating capacity?

1. Topaz Solar Farm.

This solar farm in California produces 550 MW worth of power. It was completed in 2014 – built by NASDAQ listed First Solar. First Solar has estimated that the energy produced at Topaz is enough to provide electricity for around 160,000 homes in the California area alone. The project is unusual in that it uses thin film solar panels rather then the silicon based panels that other mega solar installations use.

2. Solar Star.

Another very large solar farm developed by SunPower in Rosamond California was completed in 2015. This solar farm produces 579 MW of power. When it was completed it held the rank of number one in terms of generating capacity – it has however now been overtaken by other projects elsewhere in the world. The farm is highly efficient due to the fact that the panels track the movement of the sun maximizing output. According to SunPower the output is enough to power 255,000 homes.

3. Kamuthi.

In 2016 the Kamuthi Solar Power Project in India was completed. The sheer scale of this solar farm is staggering. With two and a half million panels covering an area of around 4 square miles it is one of the most impressive in the world. It generates 648 MW. It is only one of a series of new solar installations that India has planned in its attempt to generate 100GW of power from solar by 2022. This would allow the country to provide power to 16.4 million U.S. style homes.

4. Longyangxia Dam.

Generating 850 MW’s this solar park in China is another project of staggering scale. With 4 million panels covering ten square miles it held the title of the world’s largest in 2017, but the title soon passed to an Indian project.

5. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park.

Currently the world’s largest solar installation this project generates 1000 MW. India plans to build several more of projects this size in the coming decade.