The firm's cadmium telluride modules at the plant in Rajasthan, are expected to satisfy the annual electricity needs of more than 70,000 average Indian households

First Solar has announced the commissioning of a 40 MW (AC) ground-mounted solar photovoltaic power plant in the state of Rajasthan, India that will provide clean energy to Mumbai. The recently completed project was built in just five months.

Comprising some 500,000 First Solar thin-film modules, the power plant near the village of Dhursar in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan in North Western India, is expected to generate more than 60 million kilowatt hours (kwh) of clean solar energy a year.

This will make it one of the country’s largest photovoltaic power plant in terms of electricity generation. Covering 350 acres, it is 23 times the size of Calcutta’s famous Eden Gardens cricket grounds and is expected to satisfy the annual electricity needs of more than 70,000 average Indian households. It will displace nearly 60,000 metric tons of CO2emissions per year, the equivalent of taking more than 25,000 cars off the road.

“We are proud to partner with Reliance on this milestone project,” says Mike Ahearn, First Solar Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer. “We applaud India on its visionary solar policies and Reliance Power for their leadership in implementing them, and we look forward to helping India realise its solar vision through this and future projects.”

“This power plant demonstrates the huge potential of solar energy to help India meet its growing energy needs in the most environmentally friendly manner. It is also a testimony of the quick timeframe in which solar power plants can be built and commissioned,” adds Anil D Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Power.

The Dhursar project is the first of several that Reliance plans to build with First Solar modules as part of a 100 MW module order placed last year.

All First Solar modules, including those deployed in this project, are covered by First Solar’s prefunded collection and recycling program. At no additional cost, First Solar will pick up its unwanted modules and recycle the material for use in new solar modules and other glass products.

First Solar’s continuous manufacturing process also contributes to the company's energy payback time and the low carbon footprint of systems using First Solar PV modules.