• State-owned NTPC will set up the country’s single largest solar park in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat following the go-ahead from the government.

• NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of NTPC, has received the go-ahead from the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) to set up 4,750 megawatt (MW) renewable energy park in Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat. 

• NTPC REL was given the go-ahead under Mode 8 (Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park) of Solar Park Scheme. 

• NTPC REL has plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale from this park.

• NTPC has also commissioned India’s largest floating solar of 10 MW capacity on the reservoir of Simhadri Thermal Power Plant, Andhra Pradesh recently. An additional 15 MW would be commissioned by August 2021.

• Further, a 100 MW Floating Solar Project on the reservoir of Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant, Telangana is in advanced stage of implementation. 

Solar Park Scheme

• The Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects was rolled out on December 12, 2014 with aggregate capacity 20,000 MW. Further, the capacity of the Solar Park Scheme was enhanced from 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW on March 21, 2017 to set up at least 50 solar parks by 2021-22.

• Solar park is a large chunk of land developed with all necessary infrastructure and clearances for setting up of solar projects. The capacity of solar parks is generally 500 MW and above.

• However, smaller parks (up to 20 MW) are also considered in states/UTs where there is shortage of non-agricultural land. 

• Approximately 4 to 5 acres per MW of land is required for setting up solar parks. 

• The total central grants approved under the scheme is Rs 8,100 crore.

• Under the scheme, the ministry provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to Rs 25 lakh per solar park for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR). Besides this, CFA of up to Rs 20 lakh per MW (Rs 12 lakh/MW for development of internal infrastructure of solar park and Rs 8 lakh/MW for development of external power evacuation infrastructure of solar park) or 30 per cent of the project cost, including grid-connectivity cost, whichever is lower, is also provided on achieving the milestones prescribed in the scheme. 

• The approved grant is released by Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI) as per milestones.

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