The Gist of Science Reporter: March 2017
- World's Largest Solar Power Plant (Free Available)
- Making Money in Space (Only For The Subscribed Members)
- Scent Sense (Only For The Subscribed Members)
World's Largest Solar Power Plant
India now has the world's largest solar power plant with the completion of the sola; power giant in Tamil Nadu. The solar power plant in Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu takes the title of the world's largest solar power plant. The plant has the capacity to generate 648 MW of electricity at a single location and was completed in just eight months. As per the Solar Energy Policy unveiled by the Government, the country appears to be on schedule to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels to power homes and industries by 2030.
Prior to this, Topaz Farm in California was the largest solar power plant at a single location with a capacity of 550 MW. The Kamuthi solar plant comprises 2.5 million individual solar modules and covers an area of 10 sq km. The plant is cleaned every day by a robotic system and charged by its own solar panels.
The plant will provide power for about 150,000 homes in the region and contribute to the country's goal of powering 60 million homes with solar energy by 2022. With this plant, India's total installed capacity of solar plants has touched the 10 GW mark.
Making Money in Space
Until recently all investments in space technologies and the output from the missions have principally being used by governments. The utilization involves R&D, defence and telecommunication services, weather forecasts, etc., the benefits being harnessed entirely for technological growth, military applications and prestige of a nation.