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Why in the News?
India’s largest floating solar plant is now fully operational at Ramagundam in Telangana’s Peddapalli district.
About the Project
- Capacity: 100-megawatt (MW) floating solar power photovoltaic project
- Commissioned by: The National Thermal Power Corporation
- Built by: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited on an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract
What are Floating Solar plants?
- Solar plants or solar farms can be either ground-mounted or set up on the surface of water bodies.
- Floating solar panels are Photovoltaic modules mounted on platforms that float on water reservoirs, lakes, etc.
Significance
- Minimum Land Requirement: At a time when large tracts of land are unavailable, floating farms do not require land to be acquired for the installation of photovoltaic panels.
- Improve Efficiency: They are more efficient as the presence of water underneath helps them keep cool.
- Water Conservation: They also reduce water evaporation, thereby saving more water for hydropower generation.
- At Ramagundam, approximately 32.5 lakh cubic metres per year of water evaporation can be avoided.
- Reduction of Coal Consumption and Carbon Emissions: Coal consumption of 1,65,000 tons can be avoided per year; carbon dioxide emissions of 2,10,000 tons per year can be avoided.
