The high radiation in combination with a large amount of sunny days in Rajasthan makes it by far the most popular location for projects under the National Solar Mission. The average tariff of all project bids under the second round of the National Solar Mission was as low as Rs 8.78/Kwh, according to a Evwind report.
“The natural reaction of some investors to this outcome was that it’s too low. But if you analyse the conditions in Rajasthan, it will become clear that this tariff is viable,” says Kumar, who researched a case for a 10MW plant in Rajasthan. Shri Shakti Alernative Energy Ltd is developing the infrastructure for a 100 MW private solar park being developed under an MoU with Government of Rajasthan.
“In western Rajasthan, a Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF) of 21 percent can be achieved,” Kumar further explains. “In Germany, the world solar capital, this is typically 13 percent. This means that a 1 MW solar power plant in western Rajasthan can produce 1.85 million units per year, compared to around 1.6 million units elsewhere in India.”
“The conditions in Rajasthan are so favourable, that it will be amongst the most logical places in the world to implement solar power,” says Edwin Koot, CEO of Solarplaza, a Netherlands based information platform for international solar energy stakeholders.
