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 MW_p

| 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 MW_p 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 MW_p. Assuming a technical life time of 25 years the investment cost is 700 MUSD/(25*1.35 TWh) = 2 US cent/kWh.