The largest floating solar power installation in India is now fully operating. The Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, Telangana, has a total capacity of 100 MW. On July 1, NTPC certified the project’s last 20 MW of capacity to be commercially operational.
The overall commercial operating capacity of solar panels output in the southern region increased to 217 MW with the completion of the Ramagundam 100-MW Solar PV Project.
Jump To
What are Floating Solar Panels?
The term “floating solar” or “floating photovoltaics” (FPV), also known as “floatovoltaics,” refers to solar panels that are installed on a platform that floats on a waterbody, typically a lake or a reservoir or, under the appropriate circumstances, the sea.
The majority of the time, these structures are anchored on calmer waterbodies, including ponds, lakes, or reservoirs. These systems don’t require land leveling or vegetation removal, are comparatively quick to build, and operate quietly.
File image
According to reports, there has been a significant increase in the market for this renewable energy technology since 2016. Between 2007 and 2013, the 1st twenty plants with several dozen kWp in capacity were constructed.
3 GW of installed electricity was reached in 2020, and 10 GW is anticipated by 2025. A floating system costs 20–25 percent more than a system that is mounted on the ground.
Ramagundam Project
The Ramagundam Project’s key highlights are its advanced technology and eco-friendly characteristics. Naresh Anand, the NTPC’s Regional Executive Director for the South, commended the workforce at NTPC-Ramagundam on attaining the milestone and reaffirmed NTPC’s dedication to sustainable energy.
The total commercially operational floating solar capacity in the Southern Region has increased to 217 MW with the full capacity operation of the 100 MW solar PV plant at Ramagundam. Anand stated that the 25 MW and 92 MW floating solar projects at Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh, and Kayamkulam, Kerala, respectively, had already been declared commercially operational by the NTPC Southern Region.
Economic Times/Representational image
The 100 MW floating solar project at Ramagundam, the largest project of its kind in the nation, has cutting-edge technology and eco-friendly features.
The NTPC-Ramagundam reservoir facility spans 500 acres and was built at a cost of 423 crores by BHEL as an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) project.
Each segment, which is broken up into 40 blocks, has a 2.5 MW capacity. There is one floating structure with 11,200 solar panels on each block. One inverter, a transformer, and a high-tension breaker make up the floating structure. The photovoltaic systems are mounted on floaters made of HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) substance.
World Economic Forum
A unique HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) rope is used to secure the overall floating arrangement to the dead weights positioned at the bottom of the balancing reservoir. 33KV subterranean cables are used to evacuate the power up to the current switchyard.
Environment Benefits of the Project
The minimum amount of land required, mostly for accompanying evacuation plans, is the most apparent benefit from an environmental standpoint.
Additionally, the existence of floating solar modules reduces the rate of water evaporation from water bodies, aiding in water conservation. The power plant’s floating solar modules would slow the evaporation of water from the reservoir by 32.5 lakh cubic meters annually.
Unsplash/Representational image
The body of water beneath the solar panels would also aid in preserving the surrounding temperature, increasing output and efficiency. Additionally, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.1 lakh tonnes annually and the annual consumption of coal by 1.65 lakh tonnes.