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Explained: What is India’s sprawling renewable energy park, coming up on its border with Pakistan?

5th December, 2020 Energy

Context: On December 15, Prime Minister will travel to Kutch to lay the foundation stone for a 30,000 MW (megawatt) hybrid renewable energy park close to the Indo-Pak border in Kutch district.

  • The project is billed as the largest of its kind in the world.

What is this hybrid renewable energy park taking shape in Gujarat?

  • Government of India will install 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, the Gujarat government identified 1,00,000 hectares of wasteland near Khavda, 72 km north of Bhuj, close to the international border with Pakistan in Kutch, for an energy park.
  • The renewable energy park will have two zones: one, a 49,600-hectare hybrid park zone that will accommodate wind and solar power plants of 24,800 MW capacity; and two, an exclusive wind park zone spread over 23,000 hectares.

How close is this project to the Indo-Pak border?

  • The project will be located between Khavda village and Vighakot. T
  • he project site is about 25 km from Khavda, which is the last point that can be accessed by civilians in the area.
  • The exclusive wind park zone will come up within 1-6 km of the international border.
  • This site has been chosen because this is a complete wasteland. Putting windmills near the border, will also act as a boundary.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/gujarat-kutch-hybrid-renewable-energy-park-7092444/