World's largest floating solar energy project soon to be constructed on Narmada
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New Delhi, Jan 7: Government of India is to construct the largest floating solar energy project in the world. The project is to be constructed at Omkareshwar Dam on the Narmada river. The project is expected to begin its power generation by 2022 to 2023. The estimated investment in this project stands at Rs 3,000 crore. The International Finance Corporation, World Bank and Power Grid have granted in-principle consent for providing aid for the project development.
The project is to have floating solar panels of 600 megawatts of power generation capacity. The solar panels are to be installed over the backwaters of the Omkareshwar Dam. The project is to be completed in two years. The electricity is to be generated in about two thousand hectares of water area by installing solar panels in the dam. The solar panels will automatically adjust upward and downward based on the water level of the Dam. The floods and strong waves will not have any effect on the solar panels.
Usually, there are two types of floating solar power plant; Floating Photovoltaic Solar Power plant that uses Photovoltaic panels installed on floating platform and Floating concentrated solar power System that uses mirrors to redirect the solar power to a tower. The advantages of floating Solar Power Plant is that there is no land Occupancy and they help to reduce water evaporation. Solar power plants have a natural cooling system generated by the water layer beneath the panels.
The Minister of New and Renewable Energy Hardeep Singh Dang said that the work of transmission line route survey will begin from the project area to Khandwa sub-station by power grid this month. Tender for the study of environmental and social impact of the project area is also being issued. Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company has agreed to purchase 400 MW power from the project, he added.