India’s Renewable Energy Park Breaks World Record: 5 Times Larger Than Paris

The Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat’s Kutch is the world’s largest renewable energy park using a combination of solar and wind energy. The park covers an area of 538 square kilometers, making it roughly five times the size of Paris.

The land was initially barren, with highly saline soil and little vegetation. However, it was identified as an ideal location for a renewable energy park due to its exceptional solar radiation and wind speeds.

Adani Green Energy Ltd, India’s largest renewable energy company, has invested in the Khavda park and plans to generate 30 gigawatts of clean electricity. The company has already commissioned 2 gigawatts of capacity and aims to add 4 gigawatts in the current fiscal year, with plans to add 5 gigawatts annually thereafter.

The park is located near the international border with Pakistan and is a restricted zone with its own set of challenges, including heavy dust storms, limited communication and transport infrastructure, and saline groundwater. Construction of the park began in 2022, and infrastructure development efforts included the construction of roads, drainage, and desalination plants, as well as laying optical fiber cables for connectivity.

The Khavda land is leased from the government to the Adani group for 40 years. The company conducted extensive studies and assessments before embarking on the development of the site.

The region experiences high solar irradiation and strong wind resources, but frequent sandstorms necessitate the cleaning of solar panels several times a day. Executives plan to utilize waterless robotic module cleaning systems for the entire project.