After Barmer and Jaisalmer, it's Bikaner district, which is shining bright for Rajasthan. Rajasthan government has identified around 5,000 hectares of land in Pugal to develop 2,450 MW solar plant with battery energy storage system (BESS) of 1250 MW/ 5000 MWh – the country's highest BESS tied to a solar PV project.
Rajasthan's principal secretary energy Ajitabh Sharma said that the project is poised to change the economic and demographic landscape of the state.
He said that the project is expected to set off over 2 lakh tonnes of the harmful carbon dioxide emissions per year.
“The project will generate employment opportunities with more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. The government is likely to open the bid for private players soon,” he said.
Sharma said that the bidder will have guaranteed power offtake ensuring minimum risk to investors.
“Entire generation shall be procured by the State Government at the discovered tariff, ensuring long-term revenue assurance,” he said.
What is the project?
The project is being developed by Rajasthan Solar Park Development Company Limited (RSDCL), a fully owned subsidiary of the State Nodal Agency Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited. It is spread across 4,780 ha of government with a 99-year lease, with full possession and mutation completed. All land parcels are dispute-free and ready for allotment.
The site has developed roads, drainage, boundary fencing and easy accessibility. Companies will have the option of plug-and-play.
Why this project?
The project located in Pugal, 400 kms from Jaipur, received over 320 sunny days annually, ensuring superior capacity utilisation. It has among the world's highest solar irradiation ensuring maximum generation efficiency of more than 2,000 kWh/m²/year.
Apart from that the project is connected with a dedicated 765/400 kV GSS and internal pooling substations and associated transmission lines – vital for power evacuation.
“It has proximity to Rajasthan's Green Energy Corridor, ensuring seamless evacuation. The Solar Park has been allocated dedicated connectivity of 2450 MW,” Sharma said.
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