Originally published on CleanTechnica
by Saurabh Mahapatra
Yet another floating solar power project is under consideration in India.
According to media reports, the state government of Andhra Pradesh is considering setting up a floating solar project of 100 megawatts of capacity. The project could come up at Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir which has a live capacity of 305 million cubic meters. The dam also has an installed capacity of 20 megawatts.
The state’s renewable energy department has shared little to no details about the project.
While the concept of floating solar power projects remains new, India has been experimenting with such novel ideas of solar power generation over the last few years. These include solar power systems installed over canals and at their banks as well as over dam barriers.
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy is supporting the development of 50 megawatts of canal-top solar power projects and 50 megawatts of solar power projects at canal banks. The total cost estimated for the development of 100 megawatts of capacity is around $127 million.
Apart from the central government, several state governments have also planned canal-top solar power projects, including Gujarat and Punjab.
A public sector company — National Hydro Power Corporation — has also announced plans to set up 600 megawatts of floating solar power project at one of its large hydro power projects.
All of these planned and under-construction projects over dams and reservoirs lag behind the monstrous project being constructed in China. A floating solar power park is being developed in China’s Qinghai province. The project — Longyangxia Dam Solar Park — will have an installed capacity of 850 megawatts once completed, making it one of the largest solar power projects — over land or water.
