India’s largest floating solar power project

India’s largest floating Solar Power Project is now fully operational. NTPC declared Commercial Operation of the final part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, Telangana.

NTPC has also set a target to install around 60 Gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by the year 2032

Details –

• With the operationalisation of 100-MW Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, total commercial operation of Floating Solar Capacity in Southern Region rose to 217 MW.
• The 100-MW Floating Solar project at Ramagundam is endowed with advanced technology as well as environment friendly features. Constructed with financial implication of Rs. 423 crores through M/s BHEL as EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract, the project spreads over 500 acres of its reservoir.
• Divided into 40 blocks, each having 2.5 MW.  Each block consists of one floating platform and an array of 11,200 solar modules. The floating platform consists of one Inverter, Transformer, and a HT breaker. The solar modules are placed on floaters manufactured with HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) material.

Significance –

• From environment point of view, the most obvious advantage is minimum land requirement mostly for associated evacuation arrangements.
• Further, with the presence of floating solar panels, the evaporation rate from water bodies is reduced, thus helping in water conservation.Approximately 32.5 lakh cubic meters per year water evaporation can be avoided.
• The water body underneath the solar modules helps in maintaining their ambient temperature, thereby improving their efficiency and generation.
• Similarly, while coal consumption of 1,65,000 Tons can be avoided per year; Co2 emission of 2,10,000 tons per year can be avoided.