Bhutan's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources recently announced the official opening of the Sephu Photovoltaic Project, the country's first utility-scale solar power plant, marking a key step in the country's diversification into clean energy.
The project, located in Sephu Township, Wangdue Phodrang District, central Bhutan, occupies approximately 44 acres (17 hectares) of state-owned land. The first phase of the project has installed 17.38 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and the second phase will add an additional 5 MW, expected to be completed later this year.
The Sephu project's engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) is being carried out by a joint venture between Bhutanese construction company M/S Rigsar and Indian engineering firm PES. The project was initially tendered in 2022 and awarded in 2023.
The project is funded by loans and grants from the Asian Development Bank and financial support from the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Ministry of Energy stated in a statement on social media that the project is a key initiative to transform the country's energy mix, enhance the resilience of the energy system, and address the challenges of climate change.
Bhutan's national energy policy, released earlier this year, sets a goal of achieving a total installed renewable energy capacity of 25 gigawatts (GW) by 2040, including 15 GW from hydropower and 5 GW from solar.
According to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Bhutan will have deployed a cumulative 3 MW of solar capacity by the end of 2024, a significant increase from 1 MW by the end of 2023.
In addition, in March of this year, a 100 MW photovoltaic project developed by Juniper Green Energy in Rajasthan, India, was officially connected to the grid. The project plans to transmit electricity to Bhutan through a cross-border power trading agreement, further supplementing Bhutan's green energy supply.
Bhutan's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources recently announced the official opening of the Sephu Photovoltaic Project, the country's first utility-scale solar power plant, marking a key step in the country's diversification into clean energy.
The project, located in Sephu Township, Wangdue Phodrang District, central Bhutan, occupies approximately 44 acres (17 hectares) of state-owned land. The first phase of the project has installed 17.38 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and the second phase will add an additional 5 MW, expected to be completed later this year.
The Sephu project's engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) is being carried out by a joint venture between Bhutanese construction company M/S Rigsar and Indian engineering firm PES. The project was initially tendered in 2022 and awarded in 2023.
The project is funded by loans and grants from the Asian Development Bank and financial support from the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Ministry of Energy stated in a statement on social media that the project is a key initiative to transform the country's energy mix, enhance the resilience of the energy system, and address the challenges of climate change.
Bhutan's national energy policy, released earlier this year, sets a goal of achieving a total installed renewable energy capacity of 25 gigawatts (GW) by 2040, including 15 GW from hydropower and 5 GW from solar.
According to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Bhutan will have deployed a cumulative 3 MW of solar capacity by the end of 2024, a significant increase from 1 MW by the end of 2023.
In addition, in March of this year, a 100 MW photovoltaic project developed by Juniper Green Energy in Rajasthan, India, was officially connected to the grid. The project plans to transmit electricity to Bhutan through a cross-border power trading agreement, further supplementing Bhutan's green energy supply.
