Published on December 11, 2023
AHMEDABAD: Soon, visitors to Gandhinagar from Ahmedabad would be able to see solar panels floating on water on both sides of the Narmada canal. The array of 15 solar panels – likely to be produced in Gujarat – will generate 3 MW of electricity.
The project, which has got in-principle nod from the state government, will be carried out by Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) and Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL). Prof S Sundar Manoharan, director general of PDEU, on December 2 had said during the university’s convocation that it has got in-principle approval for the Rs 26 crore project from GSECL for the pioneering floating solar panel project. The 3 MW facility will be connected to storage of 1.5 megawatt/ hour (mWh), he had added.
Mamta Verma, principal secretary (energy & petrochemicals), government of Gujarat, told TOI that the pilot project has been approved. “It will be replicated elsewhere once the project is successful. The state government’s new renewable energy (RE) sector policy has made special provision to incentivize such projects on a mass scale,” she said. “We are hopeful that the PDEU project will open avenues for the future in this area.”
Experts in renewable energy sector said Gujarat is already a leader with over 7,000 MW capacity in solar. They pointed out that per 1 MW capacity needs about six acres of land. On the other hand, water surface in reservoirs and canals can be utilized for the floating devices that would save the land and ensure better output with reduction in heat.
Prof Manoharan said ‘floatovoltaics,’ or the floating photovoltaics, is an area of interest across India with its potential. “In India, several major initiatives have been taken up in the past two years. Our proposed project would tether the float with solar panels to the sides of the canal. It would not require any additional infrastructure,” he said.
Government officials said that the state has over 40 major water reservoirs where the small solar plants can be feasible.
(With Kapil Dave)
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