Pavagada Solar Park

Pavagada Solar Park is a solar park covering an area of 53 square kilometres (13,000 acres) in Pavagada taluk, Tumkur district, Karnataka. Completed in 2019, the park has a capacity of 2,050 MW and is the World's second largest photovoltaic solar park after the 2245 MW Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan.[4] and cost ₹14,800 crore (US$2.1 billion).[5]

Pavagada Solar Park
Official nameShakti Sthala[1]
CountryIndia
LocationPavagada taluk, Tumkur district, Karnataka
Coordinates14.25°N 77.45°E / 14.25; 77.45
StatusOperational
Construction beganOctober 2016
Commission dateMarch 2018
Construction cost₹14,425 crore[2]
Owner(s)Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Ltd. (KSPDCL)
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site resource5.5-6.0 kWh/m2 per day[3]
Site area13,000 acres (53 km2)
Power generation
Units operational2,050 MW[4]
Nameplate capacity
  • 2,050 MW
External links
Websitekspdcl.in

History

Background

Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) established a joint venture company, the Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Ltd (KSPDCL), in March 2015 to implement solar power projects in Karnataka.[6][7] The Chairman of the State High Level Clearance Committee (SLHCC) approved the KSPDCL's proposal to construct a solar power park in Pavagada taluk on 29 October 2015.[5] The project is spread over a total area of 13,000 acres (53 km2) which includes the 5 villages of Balasamudra, Tirumani, Kyataganacharlu, Vallur and Rayacharlu.[5]

Pavagada was chosen as the site for the project for several reasons. Apart from high solar radiation and availability of land, the region receives very little rainfall. Pavagada taluk is located in a semi-arid tract, atop an elevated plateau surrounded by rocky hills. The region has been declared drought hit by the Karnataka Government 54 times in the past 6 decades. The region is also scarcely populated and most of its residents are poor farmers. Many of the region's residents have migrated to Bangalore, located about 180 km away, for economic reasons.[6]

G.V. Balram, the managing director of KREDL, was born and raised in a village in Pavaguda taluk. He understood that farmers in the region were reluctant to sell their land due to emotional reasons. In order to aid in the development of the region and reduce economic migration, Balram offered farmers the option to lease the land required for the project rather than purchase it outright.[8] Landowners receive an annual payment of ₹21,000 (US$290) per acre under the terms of the lease which is valid for 25–35 years. For the entire land required for the park, the total compensation for the entire project amounts to ₹23-25 crore per year. The annual payment amount will increase by 5% every 2 years.[7]

Auctions

The KSPDCL utilized the "plug and play" model to implement the project. Under this model, the company acquires blocks of land, obtains all required government approvals for solar power generation, and then awards contracts to solar power developers (SPDs) through auctions.[6] In April 2016, NTPC Limited, on behalf of KSPDCL, awarded contracts to 6 firms for the commissioning of a total of 500 MW of power at the Pavaguda Solar Park. Parampujya Solar Energy Pvt Ltd., Fortum Finnsurya Energy Pvt Ltd., ACME Solar Holdings Pvt Ltd, and Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd were awarded 100 MW each, while Yarrow Infrastructure and Renew Power received 50 MW each.[9][10] Yarrow Infrastructure quoted the lowest tariff of ₹4.78 (6.7¢ US) per unit, Renew Power quoted the highest (₹4.80), while the other 4 firms quoted a tariff of ₹4.79 per unit.[11]

Work on the solar park began in October 2016.[7]

In March 2017, the NTPC invited bids for 750 MW, split into six blocks of 125 MW each, of solar power capacity at Pavagada.[12]

In May 2018, SB Energy has secured 200 megawatts of capacity at Rs 2.82/kWh, or 4.16¢/kWh offered by SECI.[13]

The most recent letter of award (LoA) was given to Amar Raja Power Systems Limited, to construct 50 MW of capacity at a levelized tariff of ₹1.24 (~$1.7¢)/kWh for 24 years. The reason for the extremely low cost was quoted as 'land being available to KREDL at no cost and the availability of the power evacuation infrastructure up to the sub-station.'[14]

Commissioning

On 14 December 2017, Fortum announced that it had connected a 100MW solar plant at Pavagada to the grid.[15] Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd commissioned 100 MW at the park by 19 December,[16] and an additional 50 MW by 2 January 2018.[17] 600 MW of power was commissioned by 31 January 2018.[18][19] and a further 1,400 MW are planned.[20]

Pavagada Solar Park had a total commissioned capacity of 1,400 MW by 9 April 2019 out of total 2,050 MW planned by December 2019.[21][22] Another 450 MW was commissioned by November 2019 taking the total project capacity to 1850 MW, making it the largest solar power plant in the world at the time.[23]

Wind energy

In March 2017, Karnataka Energy Minister DK Shivakumar told the Bangalore Mirror that the government was looking to generate wind energy by setting up windmills in Pavagada. Preliminary estimates from the KREDL indicate a potential wind power generation of 250-300 MW.[24]

See also

References
  1. Poovanna, Sharan (1 March 2018). "World's largest solar park Shakti Sthala designed by Ravindra bhan in Karnataka". Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. "1st phase of Pavagada solar park to be ready by Dec". The Hindu. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  3. "India Solar Resource - Global Horizontal Irradiance - Annual Average, by NREL, National Renewable Energy Laboratory". Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  4. "World's Largest Solar Park at Karnataka's Pavagada is Now Fully Operational". Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  5. "GoK order dated 13-06-2016 allocating 200MW solar generation plant with 15 minutes battery storage by Solar Energy Corporation Of India Limited in Pavagada Solar park" (PDF). KSPDCL. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  6. Poovanna, Sharan (6 March 2017). "How the world's largest solar park is shaping up in Karnataka". Mint. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  7. "Solar power dawns on Pavagada villages". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  8. Jain, Amit (22 December 2015). "Solar energy to bring jobs and prosperity back to parched villages". World Bank. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  9. "Allocation of 500MW NTPC JNNSM Scheme (Open Category) power to ESCOMs of Karnataka proposed in 2000MW Pavagada Solar Park Area" (PDF). KSPDCL. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  10. "Fortum wins 100 MW project in Pavagada solar park". India Today. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  11. Bureau, Our (13 April 2016). "Solar power producers bid below ₹5 a unit for Karnataka park". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  12. "India's NTPC invites bids for 750MW of solar in Karnataka". PV-Tech. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  13. "SB Energy Scores 200 Megawatts Of Solar In India At 4.16¢/kWh". Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  14. "50 MW of Solar Projects to be Developed in Pavagada Solar Park at a Tariff of ₹1.24/kWh". MERCOM India. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  15. "Fortum Commissions 100 MW of Solar Project in Pavagada Solar Park - Mercom India". Mercom India. 14 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  16. "TPREL Commissions 100 MW Solar Project at Pavagada Solar Park - Mercom India". Mercom India. 19 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  17. "TPREL Commissions 50 MW DCR Solar Project in Pavagada Solar Park - Mercom India". Mercom India. 2 January 2018. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  18. "600 MW of Solar Projects Synchronized to the Grid at Karnataka's Pavagada Park". Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  19. "1st phase of Pavagada solar park to be ready by Dec". The Hindu. Nagesh Prabhu. 30 September 2017. ISSN 0971-751X – via www.thehindu.com.
  20. Kumar, B.S. Satish. "State to get 500 MW from Pavagada solar park next year". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  21. "ReNew Power Commissions 300 MW Solar Plant in Pavagada". Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  22. "Karnataka's Pavagada Solar Park to be Fully Operational by December 2019". Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  23. "Karnataka's Pavagada Reaches 1850 MW Milestone with 100MW Avaada Commissioning". Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  24. "For clean energy, Karnataka, AP are in their elements - Bangalore Mirror -". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
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