Andhra Pradesh's solar-wind park is largest

Anantapur: The world’s first ever solar-wind hybrid park is being planned in Anantapur district. The World Bank is funding the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore and will spread across 1,000 acres of land. The 160-MW park will also have battery back-up that will ensure that take the lag when the wind speed reduces at night, when there is no sun. This is also being promoted as a pilot project, where grid failures can be totally avoided.

There are similar installations in Jamaica and China, but the one coming up in Anantapur will be the largest of its kind. The Solar Energy Corporation of India, AP Solar Energy Corporation, AP Nedcap and APTransco will be jointly working on the park. Nedcap has identified about 2000 acres of government owned barren land in Muthavakuntla in Kanaganipalli mandal in Anantapur district.

Energy officials, led by Mr Ajay Jain, had to work out a new design concept following the sudden failure of the state grid a few months ago due to power fluctuations. Sources said about 2,000 MW of power was being generated through wind and solar sectors in the state. 

A few months ago, this fell to 70 MW within a day, affecting the grid. "With the sudden grid failure, the state suffered a power cut and there was no immediate possibility of starting the thermal units that had shut down", a senior official recalled.

The grid failure forced the power sector to design an innovative concept to avoid similar incidents using solar and wind power. The solar-wind park is a part of this plan. The park will generate 120 MW of solar power and 40 MW of wind energy. It is associated with a 40-MVAH battery backup, Nedcap district official K. Kodandarama Rao said.