As the world has grown weary of the conventional energy sector devastating the environment, leading to climate change on a biblical level, more and more nations are turning to the renewable energy sector. One such nation that has plans to boost the sector is India. India has the unwelcome reputation as one of the worst polluters on the planet, with smog blanketing most large cities. That reality is set to change as Rajasthan has launched India’s first solar park integrated with the latest battery storage technology.
India’s energy future is shifting to the renewable energy sector
For far too long, India has relied on the harmful fossil fuel sector to provide essential energy resources for the nation’s populace. However, the Indian government recently announced the successful commissioning of the Pugal Solar Park in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
The facility integrates the latest battery storage technology with exceedingly efficient solar panels to reap the benefits of India’s hot and sunny weather. The park, which is currently under development, will consist of solar panels with a generation capacity of 2,450 MW, which will be stored in a 5,000 MWh battery storage system.
The project could be a game-changer for the Indian energy sector
Storing unused solar energy has become a challenge that the international energy sector has taken on with open arms, developing astonishing new battery storage systems that allow nations to store the energy for usage during non-sunny periods. India has stated that the park will completely reshape the nation’s renewable energy capacity as the sector grows exponentially across the world.
India’s plan to expand its renewable energy capacity is finally coming to fruition
The aforementioned proclivity for traditional energy resources has forced India into a corner: either change to meet the trend of growing renewable energy, or face an uncertain future in the energy sector. The park is spread out across 4,780 hectares of government land, and could allow for a new tender process for the components that will make up the new battery storage system, as noted by government officials.
“The solar-BESS plant being planned for tendering in Rajasthan will be one of the largest plants globally yet planned to date in a single location. Only a few announcements to date have been larger than this. This will be truly a game changer for India when operationalised.” – President of India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), Debmalya Sen
The Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (RVPN), Rajasthan’s state utility, will establish 765/400 kV grid substations and transmission lines to efficiently evacuate the power created on site, and the government has noted that the project has completed all land-related formalities, including mutation and title clearance.
“Developed under a plug-and-play model, the park includes power system infrastructure, roads, drainage, boundary fencing, and site accessibility, allowing investors to begin operations quickly.” – Ajitabh Sharma, Principal Secretary at Industries, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M.S.M.E.) Department
With astonishing advancements in battery storage technology becoming all too regular, India is hoping the Pugal Solar Park in Bikaner will become the cornerstone of the Indian renewable energy sector.
Expanding the national renewable energy sector is a must for India
India has noted that the planned expansion of its renewable energy sector may come with some unforeseen problems, which have become evident with the happenings in Europe, as its grid has been strained by the rapid expansion of the solar sector. India has an exceedingly large population reaching into the billion-person mark. As such, the nation is turning to the renewable energy sector to supply sustainable energy and provide a sense of security for the nation’s energy market. The new solar park that will be integrated with battery storage systems is a step in the right direction for India.
