NHPC mulling 500 MW floating solar in Telangana

State-run NHPC is envisaging 500 MW of floating solar projects in Telangana under the Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks Scheme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

A joint venture company between NHPC and Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Limited is under discussion to explore and develop viable floating solar power projects in the state. The projects are planned at the reservoir of Mid Manair Dam in Karim Nagar district. A memorandum of understanding shall be signed after approval from the state government.

The proposal follows NHPC’s agreement with its Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited subsidiary to set up 500 MW of floating PV project capacity in Odisha.

NHPC is also in the process of developing a 50 MW floating solar project in West Kallada of Kerala. Kerala State Electricity Board has given its consent to implement a 50 MW floating solar project in one go under the UMREPP Scheme of MNRE. The tender inviting bids to set up the project was issued in June this year.

Given solar PV deployment is quite land-intensive, floating solar PV is a potential option to accelerate solar power deployment in India. A study by sustainability thinktank The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has calculated that India’s water reservoirs have 18,000 sq. km of area with the potential to host 280 GW of floating solar power generation capacity.

The report calculated the floating solar potential on the basis of 30% of the water surface area of the country’s medium and large reservoirs.