World's Biggest Solar Station to Light Up India
By Katherine Gustafson |
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 9:00 AM ET
The border between India and Pakistan might be one of the most important conflict redlines on Earth, but it also happens to be extraordinarily sunny. The Indian government is determined to eke out some shining good news from the midst of strife.
Dean Nelson of U.K.'s Telegraph reports that the state government of Gujarat in India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Clinton Foundation to develop a massive solar station near the border with Pakistan. Slated to be the largest in the world, the station will generate more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity.
But the Gujurati government isn't stopping there; it is signing deals left and right, giving the OK for 40 energy companies to go ahead with solar projects in the area. Each of these projects will generate an amount between five and 50 megawatts.
Gujurat's move is motivated by the priorities of India's central government, which has announced it will invest around $18 billion in solar projects and try to get some 20,000 households to use solar energy within a decade.
This is bright news indeed.
Photo courtesy of stock.xchng
Katherine Gustafson is a freelance writer and editor with a background as a professional fundraiser, journal editor, document developer, and project administrator for international nonprofit organizations.