Floating Solar

The 100MW floating solar project at NTPC Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant in Telangana has reached 80MW of operational capacity with the recent commissioning of 42.5MW. 

Renewable energy developers have until April 25 to lodge interest in developing a hybrid facility combining 1.5MW of hydroelectric generation capacity and 100MW of floating solar and the successful bidder will secure a 25-year power purchase agreement.

Developed by a Dutch consortium, the Hide and Shine Floating Solar (HAS FPV) technology is claimed to be extremely resistant to storms and harsh weather conditions. The modules can be submerged totally or partially and, in case of a severe storm, they can be submerged up to two meters below the surface.

Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) has invited bids to conduct the feasibility study for a 70-90MW floating solar project at Sonbeel lake in the Karimganj District of Assam.

The State-owned hydropower producer has landed a 15MW grid-connected floating solar PV power project in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. It has also received the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s approval to develop a 400MW solar park in the Kinnaur district of the State.

NTPC has invited bids to carry out the feasibility study for canal-top, elevated-module mounting structure and floating solar at its Tanda thermal power station in the Ambedkar Nagar district.

Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has invited global bids for the installation and commissioning of a 100 MW (AC) floating solar project at Getalsud Dam in the Ranchi district. The installer’s scope of work also includes ten years of operations and maintenance of the solar plant. Bidding closes on March 31.

There are literal oceans of space for floating PV (FPV), beyond the first applications on lakes, reservoirs and hydro-electric dams. For countries where land is at a premium, such as the Netherlands, Singapore, and Japan, offshore FPV is of particular interest. Of course, unlike a reservoir, the sea is rarely still. Thankfully FPV’s growth has also brought technological innovation and maturity with it, meaning the coast could now be clear for solar to head offshore.

Global Industry Analysts has predicted the rapid rise of floatovoltaics, a market that is expected to serve areas with land-use concerns.

Built by the Chint Group, the project is currently the largest in China combining PV power generation and fish farming. It is located in Wenzhou, a city with a subtropical maritime monsoon climate in China’s Zhejiang province.