World’s largest solar power park in Bhadla

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Bhadla Solar Park, located in Rajasthan, is the World’s largest solar power park.

About:

• The solar park is located in Bhadla, a dry & sandy region in Rajasthan.
• It spans over 14,000 acres.
• The Park comprises 10 million solar panels at the park. These solar panels contribute to an operational capacity of 2245 MW.

Bhadla Solar Park

As of 2020, Bhadla solar park is the largest solar park worldwide. It is spread over an area of 5,700 hectares in Bhadla, Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Park has a total capacity of 2245 MW. It had witnessed the lowest bid for solar power in India at Rs 2.44 per kilowatt-hour.

About Bhadla region

Bhadla region of the Jodhpur district is officially recognized as a sandy, dry, and arid region with an area of around 45 km2. It is located around 200 km north of Jodhpur and 320 km west of Jaipur. Because of its climate, this region is described as “almost unlivable”. Normal temperatures of the region are between 46-48 °C while, hot winds & sand storms occur frequently.

Commissioning of the project

NTPC had announced the commissioning of the 115 MW of capacity at this solar park on February 22, 2017. Currently, its full capacity is of 2,245 MW, making it world’s largest solar park, with its investment rising to Rs 100 billion.