Solar power is at the heart of India's clean energy revolution, accounting for over 45% of the country's installed renewable energy capacity as of September 2024. Large-scale deployment has made solar power one of India's most affordable energy sources. The Union Government's "Development of Solar Parks Schemes" offers incentives to states, public sector entities, and private companies to develop solar parks, which streamline project development by providing shared infrastructure, grid connectivity, and pre-approved permits. This approach has significantly boosted the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of solar energy in India.
The Top 5 Solar Parks in India (based on installed generation capacity) are,
1. Bhadla Solar Park, Rajasthan: 2,245 MW (2022)
One of the world's largest solar parks, Bhadla boasts an installed capacity of 2,245 megawatts (MW). Constructed between 2015 and 2020 to harness the Thar sun, the park powers over 1.3 million households with clean energy. Some developers in the park employ cutting-edge cleaning robots to maintain their solar panels amid the region's frequent dust storms and an acute water shortage.
*Satellite Image, November 2024
2. Pavagada Solar Park, Karnataka: 2,050 MW (2023)
Dubbed “Shakti Sthal or Monument of Power,” the Pavagada Solar Park became fully-operational in December 2019. With a capacity of 2,050 MW, it prevents the emission of 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually—equivalent to letting 65.5 million trees grow over a decade! Spread across 12,937 acres of drought-prone land, the solar park is believed to have supplemented local livelihoods through lease-agreements with domiciled-farmers.
*Satellite Image, November 2024
3. Ananthapuramu Ultra Solar Park, Andhra Pradesh: 1,650 MW (2023)
Completed in four phases between 2012 and 2021, the Ananthapuramu solar park now generates 1,650 MW of clean energy. At the time, it was India's largest deployment of domestically manufactured solar PV cells, marking a significant milestone in the country's solar power journey. Uniquely situated in a lush, wet landscape, the park's developers took extraordinary measures to preserve its delicate ecology.
*Satellite Image, November 2024
4. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, Andhra Pradesh: 1,000 MW (2017)
The 1,000 MW-strong Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, once the world's largest solar power plant, has garnered significant international acclaim as a model for sustainable development. Constructed at a substantial cost of over 880 million USD, this colossal solar park is equipped with over 4 million photovoltaic (PV) modules, harnessing the abundant solar radiation in the region to generate clean energy on a massive scale.
*Satellite Image, November 2024
5. Khavda Solar Park, Gujarat: 1,000 MW (2024)
Part of the massive 30,000 MW Gujarat Solar/Wind Hybrid RE Park (GHRP), the Khavda Park already generates 1,000 MW of solar power. When complete, the GHRP will span an area five times the size of Paris. Often called Adani Green Energy's "biggest bet," the Khavda solar park aims to transform the Kutch salt pans into a clean energy hub. The area’s lone airstrip, still unconnected to air traffic control, symbolises the remoteness of the location being transformed by the massive clean energy project.
*Satellite Image, November 2024
