In the barren salt pan of Khavda in India’s state of Gujarat, the Khavda solar and renewables park is poised to become a monumental endeavor, with ambitions as vast as the desert landscape it will inhabit.
With a target capacity of 30 gigawatts – equivalent to the national grid of Switzerland – it is set to sprawl across an area five times the size of Paris, with an estimated cost of $20 billion. Once completed, it will generate enough energy to power 16 million Indian homes.
This singular renewables farm is projected to contribute a remarkable 9% of India’s entire renewable energy portfolio by 2070, when it is scheduled to be finished. The project encompasses a combination of solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage systems, representing a significant step forward in India’s transition towards clean energy.
Sagar Adani, the executive behind all the powers and departments making the project possible, “A region so large, a region that is so unencumbered, there’s no wildlife, there’s no vegetation, there’s no habitation. There is no better alternative use of that land.”
At the helm of this ambitious project is Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), a subsidiary of the Adani Group, led by Adani, the nephew of India’s second-richest man. With a net worth of $100 billion, the Adani family is directing both corporate and personal resources towards the Khavda project, which is poised to become the largest renewable power plant on Earth.
The Adani Group has pledged to invest $100 billion in energy transition over the next decade, with a majority of the investments earmarked for clean energy initiatives, says CNN.
This commitment aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India to achieve net zero emissions by 2070. The scale of the Khavda project is likely to resonate with Modi’s ambitious climate goals.
India’s economic prospects are viewed optimistically by many, with projections of unprecedented growth, averaging 6% annually. Over the next decade, an estimated 600 million people are expected to enter the middle and upper-income brackets, further driving demand for energy.
The soaring demand for energy is evident, with the country’s thirst for air conditioning alone projected to surpass that of the entire African continent by 2050. This exponential growth highlights the necessity for large-scale energy projects like Khavda to meet the county’s burgeoning needs.
The sheer scale of the Khavda project is beyond comprehension for Sagar Adani, who admits to being overwhelmed by the enormity of the endeavor. However, he acknowledges that such colossal efforts are necessary if India is to mitigate the most severe impacts of climate change and stay within the 1.5°C warming limit.
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