India inaugurates solar farm in Rajasthan

Facility can generate 5.6 MW of clean, solar energy.

Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah inaugurated the solar farm built by Solairedirect Energy as part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

The solar park, located near Phalodi in Rajasthan, will generate 9,000 MWh (megawatt hours) per annum, enough to power 20,000 Indian households.

Solairedirect Energy is a unit of Paris-based Solairedirect Group. Solairedirect has operations in France, India, South Africa, Chile, Thailand, China and the USA.

Abdullah said the Indian solar industry needs to match the quality of products from western and Chinese manufacturers.He warned that the protection given them in the solar mission may be reviewed if they do not come up with quality products.

Currently, the local content in the solar plants is 75% against imported content but the government may have to review it next year.