9NOVEMBER, 2025The park will be developed in two lots -- one with 2,000 MW of solar capacity and 1,020 MW/4,080 MWh battery storage, and another with 450 MW of solar power paired with 230 MW/920 MWh of storage. Officials said the project will follow a plug-and-play model, where land, grid connectivity, and infrastructure are pre-developed, allowing developers to fast-track implementation.Designed to address peak-hour electricity demand, the solar park with battery storage will help Rajasthan deliver reliable green energy even after sunset. The initiative is expected to significantly reduce the state's power deficit, projected to cross 22,000 MWh by FY29.According to state authorities, the project's blended tariff is expected to range between 3.2 and 3.4 per kWh, with an estimated payback period of seven to eight years and a return on investment of around 12-14 percent. The tender process for developers will open on November 28, 2025, through a competitive bidding route.This development positions Rajasthan as a national leader in renewable innovation, showcasing how large-scale solar energy with storage can redefine India's power future. RAJASTHAN LAUNCHES INDIA'S LARGEST SOLAR POWER PARK IN BIKANERRajasthan has launched India's largest solar park with battery storage in Bikaner, marking a mile-stone in the country's renewable energy push.The newly announced Pugal Solar Park will generate 2,450 MW of solar power and store 5,000 MWh of energy, setting a new benchmark for integrated solar and storage infrastructure. Spread across 4,353 hectares in Pugal tehsil, the project is expected to attract investments exceeding 18,000 crore.COAL INDIA AIMS FOR 875 MT PRODUCTION IN FY26 AMID CHALLENGESCoal India Ltd (CIL) aims to achieve or come close to its ambitious 875 million tonne (MT) coal production tar-get for FY26, CMD Sanoj Kumar Jha said on Sunday. The company, which meets over 80 percent of India's coal needs, also set a dispatch target of 900 MT for the same period.Jha, who took charge on November 1, acknowledged that Coal India missed its targets in September and October due to heavy monsoon rains. He added that demand from the power sector has been "very sluggish," but assured that "we will have more stocks at the end of the year than we had last time."October output dropped 9.8 percent to 56.4 MT, while September production stood at 48.97 MT. Despite these setbacks, Jha remained optimistic. "Today I can't say we will not meet (the production target). I can't say we will meet. But we will aspire that we will be able to be there or near there," he said at the 59th Foundation Day of Hindustan Copper Ltd. From an industry standpoint, the target underscores the public sector giant's commitment to maintaining domestic energy security even as demand dynamics shift. With power generation under pressure and renewable energy expanding, sustaining such volumes will test operational efficiency and logistics.Jha also revealed that regulations for the proposed coal exchange will be finalised within six months -- a move that could reshape India's coal trading landscape by improving transparency and access for buyers.
< Page 8 | Page 10 >