India Launches Massive 2.45 GW Solar and Battery Project

India is building one of the world's largest combined solar and battery storage facilities, marking a major leap forward in reliable renewable energy.

Rajasthan's government has opened bidding for a 2,450 megawatt solar farm at Pugal Solar Park in the Bikaner district. The project pairs the solar panels with enormous battery systems capable of storing 6,400 megawatt hours of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of over 2 million homes.

The batteries solve one of solar power's biggest challenges: what happens when the sun goes down. By storing excess energy during sunny hours, these systems will deliver clean electricity even at night or during cloudy weather.

The project spans two sections, with the larger portion consisting of 2,000 MW of solar capacity paired with matching battery storage. Companies can bid on plots as small as 225 MW or as large as 1,225 MW total.

Winners will sign 25 year power purchase agreements with Rajasthan's three main electricity distribution companies, guaranteeing stable clean energy for a generation. Developers will build, own, and operate the facilities on land leased from the state government.

Rajasthan's Bikaner district offers ideal conditions for solar power, with abundant sunshine year round and large tracts of available land. The state has become a leader in India's renewable energy transition, hosting multiple large scale solar installations.

The battery systems must be charged primarily from the solar plants themselves, creating a truly integrated renewable energy system. This approach maximizes efficiency and ensures the stored power comes from clean sources.

The Ripple Effect

This project represents more than just impressive numbers. It demonstrates that solar plus storage can provide reliable baseload power, addressing critics who claim renewables can't replace traditional power plants.

As battery technology improves and costs drop, projects like this become economically competitive with fossil fuels. India's success could inspire similar massive installations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where sunshine is abundant but electricity access remains limited.

The project will create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent positions for maintenance and operations. Local communities will benefit from improved grid stability and cleaner air as solar replaces coal fired generation.

With 25 year contracts in place, this installation will avoid millions of tons of carbon emissions while proving that renewable energy can scale to meet the needs of growing economies.

India continues building toward its goal of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, and projects like this show the path forward is both technologically feasible and economically viable.