Question map
Consider the following statements : 1. Gujarat has the largest solar park in India. 2. Kerala has a fully solar powered International Airport. 3. Goa has the largest floating solar photovoltaic project in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 2 (2 only) based on the following factual assessment:
- Statement 1 is incorrect: While Gujarat hosts the significant Charanka Solar Park, the Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan is currently the largest solar park in India (and the world) in terms of installed capacity, surpassing Gujarat's projects.
- Statement 2 is correct: The Cochin International Airport in Kerala became the world's first fully solar-powered airport in 2015. It remains a global benchmark for sustainable aviation, powered entirely by its dedicated solar plant.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: Goa does not host the largest floating solar project. As of recent data, the largest floating solar photovoltaic projects in India are located in Ramagundam (Telangana) or Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), depending on the stage of commissioning. Goa lacks the massive reservoir infrastructure required for such large-scale floating installations.
Therefore, only statement 2 is factually accurate, making Option 2 the right choice.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Superlatives in Infrastructure' question. UPSC loves testing 'India's First' or 'India's Largest' tags in the renewable sector. The strategy is simple: Maintain a 'State-wise Superlatives' table for Energy, Transport, and Science. If a state is mentioned with a 'Largest' tag, verify it against the specific geographic advantage (e.g., Deserts for Solar Parks, Reservoirs for Floating Solar).
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- The passage lists 'Adani Green Solar Park' with Gujarat coordinates and a capacity of 2,250 MW (2024).
- The table shows this 2,250 MW entry as the largest capacity listed, indicating the largest park is in Gujarat.
Names Bhadla Solar Park as the world's largest solar park and states it is located in Rajasthan (capacity 2,245 MW).
A student could compare the named largest park's location (Rajasthan) with Gujarat on a map or via lists of large parks to judge the statement.
Refers to Bhadla Solar Park as a symbol of India's solar ambitions, reinforcing Bhadla's prominence among Indian solar parks.
Use this example plus a geographic map to note the state of Bhadla and infer whether Gujarat likely hosts the largest park.
Mentions a GIF-supported Solar PPP Program for development of solar parks and separately lists a Rajasthan state project, indicating Rajasthan is active in large-scale solar park development.
Combine this pattern (Rajasthan-focused projects) with known park names/locations to assess if Gujarat has the single largest park.
States western India (Gujarat and Rajasthan) has greater potential for solar energy, implying large parks are likely in these states.
A student can narrow likely locations to Gujarat or Rajasthan and then check which state hosts the named largest parks.
- The passage explicitly names Cochin International Airport (CIAL) as fully solar-powered.
- The surrounding context of the passage is about Kerala's renewable-energy developments, linking CIAL to Kerala.
- The passage gives supporting details (e.g., a 50 MW solar plant) indicating substantial solar capacity at the airport.
Lists Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram as international airports in the country, establishing that Kerala has international airports to be considered for solar powering.
A student could combine this with a map or local news searches to check which Kerala airport (if any) has implemented large-scale solar projects.
States India has large technical potential (35 GW) and high solar insolation, indicating feasibility of powering major facilities with solar energy.
Use the stated national potential and local solar insolation data for Kerala to assess whether an airport's power needs could plausibly be met by solar installations.
Gives concrete examples of very large solar projects (e.g., Pavagada 2,050 MW) and widespread deployment (solar pumps, solar cities), showing India undertakes large-scale solar installations.
Compare scale of such projects to typical airport energy consumption to judge if a full solar supply for an international airport is practical and has precedent.
Notes extensive deployment of solar PV systems across India and specific regional examples, implying decentralized and institutional solar adoption is common.
A student could look for similar institutional examples (airports, campuses) in the cited regions and then search whether Kerala airports appear in such lists.
Describes the International Solar Alliance and India's leadership in promoting solar, indicating policy and financing support that could enable airport-scale solar projects.
Use knowledge of ISA and national policy to infer that major infrastructure projects (like airports) are plausible candidates for solarisation and then check specific project records for Kerala.
- Passage explicitly identifies the location of India's largest floating solar PV project.
- It states NTPC's 100 MW floating solar PV project is in Telangana and became India's largest, which contradicts the claim that it is in Goa.
Identifies major large-scale solar installations in specific states (e.g., a very large PV park at Pavagada, Karnataka).
A student could note that very large land-based projects exist in Karnataka and compare known large solar locations with any claims about Goa hosting the largest floating project.
Gives examples of solar PV being deployed on islands and coastal/marine-adjacent locations (Sagar Island in Sundarbans).
Use this pattern to reason that floating/shoreline projects are plausible on estuaries or islands and then check whether Goa has suitable water bodies for such projects.
Notes that solar energy is being used in islands and remote areas and that big solar plants are established in different parts of India.
Combine with a map to see which coastal states/islands have reservoirs or estuaries suitable for floating PV, and assess whether Goa is a strong candidate.
Describes Marmagao Port at the entrance of the Zuari estuary in Goa, indicating significant coastal/estuarine water bodies in the state.
A student could infer Goa has estuaries that might host floating PV and then check whether any large floating project has been sited on the Zuari or nearby reservoirs.
States western India (Gujarat and Rajasthan) has greater potential for solar development, highlighting other western states as likely sites for large solar capacity.
Compare the higher-solar-potential regions (Gujarat/Rajasthan) with Goa to judge likelihood that the single largest floating PV would be in Goa versus states with larger solar potential and land area.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter/Trap Mix. Statement 2 is a global headline (UN Award to Cochin Airport). Statements 1 and 3 are 'State-Swap' traps. Solvable via standard Current Affairs compilations.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Renewable Energy Infrastructure & The National Solar Mission. Specifically, the 'Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects' scheme.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the hierarchy: Largest Solar Park (Bhadla, Rajasthan > Pavagada, Karnataka); Largest Floating Solar (Ramagundam, Telangana / Omkareshwar, MP); First Solar Village (Modhera, Gujarat); First Solar City (Konark, Odisha).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Apply 'Geographic Feasibility'. Solar Parks need vast, flat, arid land (Rajasthan > Gujarat). Floating Solar needs large, calm reservoirs (Telangana/Andhra > Goa). If the geography doesn't match the infrastructure scale, the statement is likely false.
Bhadla is identified as the world's largest solar park and its state location is central to locating Indiaβs largest park.
High-yield factual knowledge for UPSC: remembering flagship renewable projects and their locations helps answer geography and infrastructure questions, and links to policy discussions on renewable energy deployment and state-level capacity.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 15: Infrastructure > Solar Energy Sector > p. 449
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Natural Resources and Their Use > The International Solar Alliance β India's leadership in renewable energy > p. 18
The National Solar Mission and central programmes have sanctioned multiple solar parks across many states, shaping where large parks are established.
Understanding the national-level solar parks programme is useful for questions on energy policy, federal implementation, and state comparisons; it enables evaluation of why large projects appear in particular states and patterns of central funding.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 15: Infrastructure > Solar Energy Sector > p. 449
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 15: Infrastructure > GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY > p. 442
Gujarat and Rajasthan are both highlighted as high-potential western states for solar development, a relevant contrast when locating major parks.
Knowing regional solar potential helps tackle questions on resource endowments, state energy strategies, and infrastructure siting; it supports mapping-type questions and comparative state analysis in the exam.
- INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources > Solar Energy > p. 61
Kerala includes Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram among India's international airports.
High-yield for questions on transport infrastructure and regional connectivity; links to economic development, tourism and state-level logistics planning. Knowing which airports are international helps answer infrastructure, trade and connectivity questions in prelims and mains.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 12: Transport, Communications and Trade > Air Sewa > p. 31
SPV converts sunlight directly into electricity without moving parts and is the primary technology behind many solar installations.
Essential for energy and environment topics; connects to renewable energy policy, deployment challenges, and technology-related questions in UPSC. Understanding SPV enables analysis of feasibility claims (e.g., fully solar-powered facilities) and comparison with other renewable technologies.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Solar Energy > p. 28
- NCERT. (2022). Contemporary India II: Textbook in Geography for Class X (Revised ed.). NCERT. > Chapter 5: Print Culture and the Modern World > Solar Energy > p. 117
Early and notable solar implementations have occurred in places such as Sagar Island (Sundarbans), Jodhpur, and Coimbatore.
Useful for questions on spatial distribution of renewable projects, rural/remote energy solutions, and state/region-specific initiatives. Helps link geography, resource potential and policy implementation in case studies or mains answers.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Solar Energy > p. 28
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > i) Solar Energy or Photovoltaic (Pv) Energy > p. 52
Knowledge of large land-based solar parks (their names and capacities) is essential to judge claims about the 'largest' solar projects.
High-yield for UPSC: questions often ask about flagship renewable-energy installations and comparative capacities. Mastering this helps eliminate wrong-location claims and connects to topics on infrastructure, state-level energy initiatives and national targets.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 15: Infrastructure > Solar Energy Sector > p. 449
Since CIAL (Kerala) was asked, the next logical target is the 'First 24x7 Solar Powered Village' (Modhera, Gujarat) or the 'First Green Hydrogen Microgrid' (Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh). Also, look out for 'Diu' which became the first UT to run 100% on solar energy during the day.
Use 'Land Economics' logic. The 'Largest Solar Park' requires thousands of acres of contiguous, non-arable land. While Gujarat has the Rann, Rajasthan (Bhadla) is historically the leader due to higher insolation and vast desert tracts. For Statement 3, Goa is a small coastal state with high land/water value for tourism; it is unlikely to host the 'largest' industrial floating project compared to the massive reservoirs of Telangana or MP.
Link this to GS-3 (Infrastructure & Investment Models). Cochin International Airport (CIAL) is a classic success story of the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. Use it in Mains answers to argue for the viability of sustainable infrastructure without full state funding.