INTRODUCTION
- The Rann of Kutch is planned to host a solar power plant, largest in India, with a capacity of 4.75 gigawatts (GW). NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd will be constructing the renewable energy park.
- On July 13, 2021, the NTPC-REL announced that it has got approval from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to build a 4750 MW renewable energy park under the Solar Park Scheme’s Mode 8.
- The park will be used by the state-run firm to create green hydrogen on a commercial basis. Green hydrogen is hydrogen that is created from renewable resources.
IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT THE PARK –
- “As part of its green energy portfolio augmentation, NTPC, India’s biggest energy integrated business, intends to develop 60 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2032,” the NTPC-REL stated in a statement.
- The firm presently has 70 power plants with a total installed generation capacity of 66 GW, with thermal (coal+gas) accounting for 61 GW, hydro accounting for 3.7 GW, wind accounting for the remainder, and solar accounting for 1 GW. A total of 18 GW of new generating capacity is presently being built.
- NTPC established a NTPC REL, wholly-owned subsidiary, on October 7, 2020 for renewable energy. Every year, the firm plans to add 7-8 GW of renewable energy.
- There are now five solar power parks in operation in India, with Bhadla in Rajasthan and Pavgada in Karnataka being the world’s largest single-location solar plants.
- In Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district, India’s first solar power park with a capacity of 0.75 GW was completely operational in 2019.
OTHER SOLAR PROJECTS BY NTPC –
- On the reservoir of the Simhadri Thermal Power Plant in Andhra Pradesh, the NTPC has commissioned India’s biggest Floating Solar Plant, with a capacity of 10 MW. By August 2021, a further 15 MW (ac) will be operational.
- Another 100 MW floating solar project is nearing completion on the reservoir of the Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant in Telangana.
- NTPC REL has recently inked an MOU with Ladakh and LAHDC for the production of green hydrogen and its deployment on FCEV buses. The agreement’s signing marks the start of NTPC’s first solar projects in Leh, which include solar trees and a solar carport.
