A huge new energy project in India is expected to deliver 30 gigawatts of renewable energy annually.
According to the Associated Press, it will be enough to supply the energy needs of 18 million homes in the country and will cover an area of 280 square miles in the salt desert of western India's Gujarat state.
The solar and wind energy project will be as large as Singapore, and developers say it will be the world's biggest renewable energy project and will even be visible from space.
With India announcing in 2022 a target for net zero emissions by 2070, the country needs to be ambitious. The AP said that the aim is to produce 500 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030 on the way to the wider target nearly half a century away.
Only 10% of India's electricity is powered by renewable sources, the AP noted, with coal generating 70% of the country's electricity. It is behind only China and the United States when it comes to energy-related pollution from dirty-fuel sources.
There are factors to consider with such a massive undertaking. Biodiversity in the area needs to be taken into account, with the vast expanse of land home to desert foxes and flamingoes as well as migratory birds that visit during the winter months.
Meanwhile, existing residents will be affected, with construction, increased activity, and a potential rise in tourism a worry for locals in surrounding villages.
So, the project will need to be undertaken responsibly, but the benefits are sure to be enormous.
With data from Statista putting India as the most populated country on the planet with nearly 1.5 billion residents, providing clean energy for its citizens is crucial to reducing the production of polluting gases that contribute to global heating.
As Reuters reported, European Union scientists have said 2023 was the warmest year on record, as much as 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit above the average temperature recorded between 1850 and 1900.
It's clear, then, that to prevent further temperature rises that increase the likelihood of extreme weather conditions such as drought, flooding, and deadly storms, projects like this will be vital for the health of the planet and its inhabitants.
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