India’s Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is constructing the world’s largest clean energy plant in Gujarat, India. This massive renewable energy park, called the Khavda Renewable Energy Park, will span an area five times larger than the city of Paris and may even be visible from space once completed.
The $100 million project aims to harness solar and wind power to generate enough electricity to meet the energy needs of an entire country the size of Switzerland. When operational, it will provide power for 16 million homes according to CNN. This plant represents another major step for India’s transition to clean energy sources.
Located just 12 miles from the India-Pakistan border, the Khavda Park will cover a staggering 200 square miles in the barren deserts of Gujarat. Adani executives highlight that the isolated, uninhabited land is ideal for this type of large-scale renewable installation with no competing uses.
The construction of this behemoth clean energy plant aligns with India’s climate goals outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has vowed that by the end of this decade, renewable sources like solar and wind will fulfill all of India’s energy requirements as the nation works to reduce emissions.
Sagar Adani, executive director of AGEL, emphasized that given India’s vast energy demands as the world’s third-largest consumer, “There is no choice for India but to start doing things at a previously unimagined size and scale.” Currently, over 80% of India’s energy comes from coal, oil and biomass. The International Energy Agency projects India will become the largest global energy consumer within 30 years.
