Kamuthi Solar Power Project

{{Short description|Photovoltaic power station in Tamil Nadu, India}}

{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Kamuthi Solar Power Project

| name_official =

| image = KamuthiSolarPark.jpg

| image_caption = Aerial view of Kamuthi Solar Park

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|9.347568|78.392162|region:IN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = India

| location = Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu

| status = Operational

| construction_began = February 2016

| commissioned = {{start date and age|March 2017}}

| cost = {{INRConvert|4550|c|year=2017}}

| decommissioned =

| owner = Adani Green Energy

| operator =

| employees =

| solar_type = PV

| solar_collectors =

| solar_collectors_area =

| ps_site_area = {{Convert|2500|acre|ha}}

| solar_site_resource = appr 2100 kWh/(m2*yr)

| ps_units_operational =

| ps_units_manu_model =

| ps_units_uc =

| ps_units_planned =

| ps_units_decommissioned =

| ps_thermal_capacity =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 648 MWp

| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 24 %

| ps_storage_capacity =

| ps_annual_generation = Appr. 1.35 TWh/yr

| website =

| extra =

}}

Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a photovoltaic power station spread over an area of {{Convert|2500|acre|km2|abbr=on}} in Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram district, 90 km from Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.{{Cite web|url=https://cleantechnica.com/2016/12/07/india-builds-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-covering-2500-acres/|title=India Builds World’s Largest Solar Power Plant, Covering 2,500 Acres|website=CleanTechnica|access-date=2017-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911204626/https://cleantechnica.com/2016/12/07/india-builds-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-covering-2500-acres/|archive-date=11 September 2018|url-status=live}} The project was commissioned by Adani Power.{{cite web|author=PTI|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Adani-plans-1000MW-solar-power-plant-at-Ramanathapuram/articleshow/46569602.cms|title=Adani plans 1,000MW solar power plant at Ramanathapuram|publisher=Times of India|date=15 March 2015|accessdate=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722201200/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Adani-plans-1000MW-solar-power-plant-at-Ramanathapuram/articleshow/46569602.cms|archive-date=22 July 2016|url-status=live}} With a generating capacity of 648 MWp at a single location, it is the world's 12th largest solar park based on capacity.{{cite web |url=http://www.uniindia.com/world-s-largest-solar-project-starts-feeding-electricity-into-national-grid/business-economy/news/517726.html |title=World's largest solar project starts feeding electricity into national grid |publisher=Uniindia.com |date=9 June 2016 |accessdate=14 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428130501/http://www.uniindia.com/world-s-largest-solar-project-starts-feeding-electricity-into-national-grid/business-economy/news/517726.html |archive-date=28 April 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=India unveils the world's largest solar power plant|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/india-unveils-world-largest-solar-power-plant-161129101022044.html|website=Al Jazeera|accessdate=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231032529/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/india-unveils-world-largest-solar-power-plant-161129101022044.html|archive-date=31 December 2016|url-status=live}}

ABB commissioned five sub-stations to connect the solar park with the National Grid on 13 June 2016.{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/abb-links-648-mw-solar-project-at-kamuthi-with-national-grid/articleshow/52728908.cms|title=ABB links 648 MW solar project at Kamuthi with national grid|publisher=Economic Times|author=PTI|accessdate=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613204047/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/abb-links-648-mw-solar-project-at-kamuthi-with-national-grid/articleshow/52728908.cms|archive-date=13 June 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/5c93aa475c87e687c1257fcd003a9096.aspx|title=ABB connects power to the Indian grid from one of the world’s largest solar plants|publisher=Abb.com|accessdate=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616062352/http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/5c93aa475c87e687c1257fcd003a9096.aspx|archive-date=16 June 2016|url-status=live}} The Kamuthi Solar Power Project was completed on 21 September 2016 with an investment of around {{INRConvert|4550|c|year=2016}}.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Adani-Group-launches-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-Tamil-Nadu/articleshow/54443678.cms|title=Adani Group launches world’s largest solar power plant in Tamil Nadu - Times of India|access-date=21 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921150519/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Adani-Group-launches-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-Tamil-Nadu/articleshow/54443678.cms|archive-date=21 September 2016|url-status=live}} The solar plant consists of 2.5 million solar modules, 380,000 foundations, 27,000 metres of structures, 576 inverters, 154 transformers, and almost 6,000 km of cables.{{cite web|url=http://m.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/adani-dedicates-to-nation-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tn/article9131623.ece|title=Adani dedicates to nation world’s largest solar power plant in TN : The Hindu Business Line - Mobile edition|publisher=M.thehindubusinessline.com|accessdate=21 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923035543/http://m.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/adani-dedicates-to-nation-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tn/article9131623.ece|archive-date=23 September 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/adani-dedicates-to-nation-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tn/article9131623.ece|title=CDM: Adani dedicates to nation world’s largest solar power plant in TN|author=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=22 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923043750/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/adani-dedicates-to-nation-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tn/article9131623.ece|archive-date=23 September 2016|url-status=live}} Construction of the structures needed to mount the solar panels required 30,000 tonnes of galvanised steel.{{Cite news|url=https://www.alternative-energies.net/kamuthi-solar-power-plant-in-india-is-now-operational/|title=Kamuthi Solar Power Plant in India is now operational|date=2016-11-29|work=Alternative energy news and resources updated daily|access-date=2017-03-20|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827165908/https://www.alternative-energies.net/kamuthi-solar-power-plant-in-india-is-now-operational/|archive-date=27 August 2017|url-status=live}} Around 8,500 workers installed an average of 11 MW of capacity per day to complete the project within 8 months.{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/gautam-adani-unveils-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/54444179.cms|title=Gautam Adani unveils world's largest solar power plant in Tamil Nadu|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229062805/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/gautam-adani-unveils-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/54444179.cms|archive-date=29 December 2016|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/854483/worlds-largest-solar-plant-kamuthi-india/|title=India built the world’s largest solar plant in record time|last=Bhattacharya|first=Ananya|work=Quartz|access-date=2017-03-20|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709234618/https://qz.com/854483/worlds-largest-solar-plant-kamuthi-india/|archive-date=9 July 2018|url-status=live}}

The entire solar park is connected to a 400 kV substation of the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corp.{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Industry/EvOim3hnJ7hHHwQ3MColxO/Adani-unveils-worlds-largest-solar-plant-in-Tamil-Nadu.html|title=CDM: Adani unveils world’s largest solar plant in Tamil Nadu|author=Livemint|access-date=22 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922132529/http://www.livemint.com/Industry/EvOim3hnJ7hHHwQ3MColxO/Adani-unveils-worlds-largest-solar-plant-in-Tamil-Nadu.html|archive-date=22 September 2016|url-status=live}} The solar panels are cleaned daily by a self-charged robotic system.{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/solar-power-plant-kamuthi-tamil-nadu-world-largest-4403895/|title=World’s largest solar power plant unveiled in Tamil Nadu|date=2016-11-30|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-03-20|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731153710/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/solar-power-plant-kamuthi-tamil-nadu-world-largest-4403895/|archive-date=31 July 2018|url-status=live}}

Given the solar resource of around 2100 kWh/(m2*yr) an annual generation of 1.35 TWh/yr may be possible.{{cite web| url=http://www.nrel.gov/international/images/india_ghi_annual_2016-01.jpg| title=India Solar Resource - Global Horizontal Irradiance - Annual Average, by NREL, National Renewable Energy Laboratory| access-date=6 December 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329112906/http://www.nrel.gov/international/images/india_ghi_annual_2016-01.jpg| archive-date=29 March 2017| url-status=live}} This corresponds to a capacity factor (or average power) of 24% of the peak capacity 648 MWp. Assuming a technical life time of 25 years the investment cost is 700 MUSD/(25*1.35 TWh) = 2 US cent/kWh.

Controversy

The plant relies on approximately 200,000 liters of water to keep its 25,000 modules clean each day, which has apparently been sourced from borewells nearby without consent of the respective district authority.{{cite news|author-last=Rajeskaran | author-first=R. K. | title=Adani solar plant guzzles illegal fresh water in drought-hit Tamil Nadu | date=6 June 2017 |publisher=New Indian Express| url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2017/jun/06/adani-solar-plant-guzzles-illegal-fresh-water-in-drought-hit-tamil-nadu-1613326.html}}

See also

References