Adani plans to set up large-scale solar project in Australia

Brisbane: After setting up one of the world's largest coal mines in Australia, ports-to-power conglomerate Adani Group is planning to build a large-scale solar project in the country.

Besides, the Group's renewable energy arm, which has a 40 mega-watt (MW) solar power plant, will scale its capacity to 800 MW by March 2016, Adani Green Energy CEO (Renewable Energy) Jayant Parimal told reporters here.

"We are looking at Australia to set up a large-scale solar power project. We have applied for a licence and after we get this then we will start planning for the plant," he added.

Parimal is part of the industry delegation, led by industry chamber CII, which is in Australia for the India-Australia Energy Dialogue.

On capacity, Parimal said: At present, we are at 40 MW, but by March next year we will scale up to 800 MW as some facilities will start production by then. We have around 1,110 MW of capacity under construction."

Adani Group has set up a target to have a capacity of 10,000 MW of solar power by 2022. Adani Green Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, has forayed into solar power generation and PV equipment manufacturing business.

At present, the Group operates a 40MW solar power plant in Bitta (Gujarat). Its 648 MW plant is under construction in Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu). Besides, the firm has various power plants in pipeline across 9 other states in India.

The Group has already signed MoU with Rajasthan the government for setting up 10,000 MW solar park, which will also be open for other players to establish their units. Another such solar park is planned in Gujarat with with 13,000 MW capacity.