Tamil Nadu solar potential highest in Virudhunagar, 205 GW feasible

Virudhunagar leads Tamil Nadu’s districts with the highest solar potential at 204,765 MWp, equivalent to around 205 GW. Ground-mounted solar potential is estimated at 24 GW in Virudhunagar, 13 GW in Trichy, and 12 GW each in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, with other districts below 10 GW.

A 50 MW SPV plant requires approximately 0.29 km² of land. Tamil Nadu benefits from favorable solar conditions, with global horizontal irradiance (GHI) ranging between 3.11 and 5.80 kWh/m²/day. The state has earmarked 1,357.71 km² of wasteland suitable for ground-mounted solar projects, supporting up to 205 GW generation capacity. Nationally, Tamil Nadu ranks seventh in solar potential, after Rajasthan (828.78 GW), Maharashtra (486.68 GW), Madhya Pradesh (318.97 GW), Andhra Pradesh (299.21 GW), Gujarat (243.22 GW), and Karnataka (223.28 GW).

Tamil Nadu plans to add 10,000 MW of solar and 2,000 MW of wind energy over the next five years. Transport and Electricity Minister S. S. Sivasankar introduced the initiative, aiming to strengthen clean energy capacity and establish a South Asian Renewable Energy Corridor for regional power integration.

The state currently has over 20 GW of installed renewable capacity, including about 10 GW from wind. TNGECL is spearheading efforts to meet the state’s Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets by 2030. Initiatives include expanding solar generation and deploying Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to enhance grid stability and round-the-clock renewable availability.

In the first phase, TANGEDCO plans to set up solar energy stations with 4,000 MW capacity, backed by 2,000 MW of battery storage. This combination is intended to manage intermittent generation and maintain a stable power supply.