India builds world's largest solar power station

India is planning to build the world's largest solar power station with a capacity of 750 MW.

India's world's largest solar power station will be operational in 2017. Photo: Science Alert

According to Science Alert, the world's largest solar power station will be built on a barren, state-owned land in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh state, India, within the next 18 months. It has a capacity of 750 megawatts (MW), surpassing the 392 MW capacity of the world's largest solar power plant, Ivanpah, located in the Mojave desert, California, USA.

“Big bidders will soon be invited to build the world’s largest solar power station, covering an area of ​​15 sq km in Bandwar (Rewa) area,” Rajendra Shukla, the energy minister in Madhya Pradesh, said in a press release on August 23. The plant is expected to be operational by March 2017.

Last week, India announced that it is in the process of converting its Cochin International Airport to 100% solar power. By May 2016, the airport is expected to have installed around 46,150 solar panels, producing enough electricity to power 10,000 homes a year, saving 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions over the next 25 years.

The two projects will help India reach its goal of generating 175,000 MW of renewable energy annually by 2022. India’s solar potential is estimated at 5 quadrillion kWh per year, with an average of 300 sunny days per year. The figures only take into account land space. If India were to build floating solar plants like those in Japan, it would be able to harvest more energy.

Last weekend, leaders and delegates from 14 Pacific nations met at a summit in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to provide Pacific island nations with enough solar power to light thousands of homes.

"We are now committed to providing solar power to 2,800 homes, including 1,200 homes in each Pacific island nation. This will save about $1 million worth of kerosene," Mr. Modi said.

According to VnExpress