Jaipur, October 2026 : Every new invention and discovery is like a poet's vision. Someone's vision of solar energy being generated at night in the dunes of Rajasthan, fueling the nation's development engine, is about to become a reality.
Rajasthan's Bhadla Solar Park is one of the world's largest solar power plants. Now, it is poised to witness the nation's clean energy revolution. Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) has approved NTPC to set up a 320 kW pilot concentrated solar power (CSP) project in Bhadla.
This project, the first of its kind in the country, aims to test the potential for continuous solar energy generation even at night while reducing dependence on conventional battery storage. The energy generated from this pilot project will be used entirely for internal and auxiliary consumption at the NTPC plant.
This technology will store solar energy captured during the day as heat in special high-temperature ceramic modules. After sunset, this stored heat will be used to drive an air turbine and generate electricity, significantly reducing dependence on heavy and expensive chemical batteries.
This project will utilize innovative ceramic thermal energy storage technology developed by the US-based company 247Solar. Under this collaboration, NTPC is working with Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) to implement and test this technology in Bhadla. The approval granted by RRECL paves the way for preliminary feasibility studies, site surveys, and structural testing in Bhadla.
Producing electricity at night has historically been a major challenge in the solar energy sector. If this pilot test in Bhadla is successful, this ceramic storage-based technology could be adopted on a large scale across the country in the future. This project will not only establish Rajasthan as a hub for cutting-edge renewable energy technologies, but will also provide new impetus to India's net-zero and energy security goals.
