14 DAY TRIAL // Presently, over 50% of India's energy demand is met by coal. However, it would appear that the country is ready and willing to put its dependence on fossil fuel behind it, and instead focus on harvesting renewables.
Thus, high officials in this part of the world have recently went public with the news that plans are being made to implement a solar power project that would pretty much put all other similar initiatives to shame.
Long story short, the country wants to set up a 4GW solar power project. Once up and running at full capacity, this green energy scheme will likely be the largest of its kind in the world.
In fact, Business Green tells us that, when asked to describe this initiative, India's government saw fit to refer to it as an “ultra mega” solar project.
The same source tells us that, according to estimates carried out thus far, costs for the implementation of this green energy scheme are to amount to an impressive $4.4 billion (€3.25 billion).
Work on the initiative is expected to take about seven years to be completed. What's more, the project, set to be installed in Rajasthan near Jaipur, is to be built in two phases.
The first of these phases will see the installation of 1GW of solar power capacity, whereas the second targets an added capacity of 3GW.
Interestingly enough, the energy output of this green energy scheme is said to be comparable to the overall output of about four nuclear reactors.
Besides, it will bring the country closer to meeting its goal of adding 20GW of solar between the years 2010 and 2020.
In a press release on the matter at hand, India's government details that six companies have been selected to plan and develop this major solar power project.
These companies are as follows: Bharat Heavy Electricals, Solar Energy Corporation of India, Hindustan Salts, Powergrid, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam and Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments.