India is testing a new form of solar energy that would replace photovoltaics with floating solar panels. These are floating solar panels that can be installed in water reservoirs. Among the advantages are that water cooling can increase the efficiency of solar panels; more efficient water use; and a push toward emissions reduction, as floating solar panels help reduce carbon emissions.

India is delving into an alternative that could change the course of renewables

We may be at a point where India can demonstrate that the future of energy lies in reservoirs and lakes, not rooftops or residential areas. With a focus on reducing dependence on fossil fuels, India is delving into an alternative that could change the course of renewables.

Floating solar photovoltaics was initially a Swiss innovation in 2008, and since then, many countries have worked on this idea of ​​floating solar panels. And the data is striking. A recent study published in Nature Sustainability stated that if just 30% of the surface area of ​​more than 114,000 reservoirs worldwide were covered with floating solar panels, approximately 9,000 terawatt-hours could be generated annually.

This advanced design improves energy efficiency

Last year, India inaugurated its largest floating solar plant to date: the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project, with a capacity of 126 megawatts (MW). It uses 213,460 glass-to-glass bifacial solar modules, allowing it to maximize light collection on both the front and back of the panels. This advanced design improves energy efficiency, especially in a floating environment where water reflection increases available solar radiation.

For a country like India, this could be a lucrative business. With an investment in 10 million solar panels that will produce 2,000 MW, India is ramping up its solar strategy, so it makes even more sense to focus on floating photovoltaics as well.

This project is located between the Indirasagar and Omkareshwar hydroelectric reservoirs

The first plant is located in Madhya Pradesh, and when completed, Omkareshwar is expected to be a 600 MW plant, one of the largest in the world. This project is strategically located between the Indirasagar and Omkareshwar hydroelectric reservoirs, leveraging existing water infrastructure.

One of the questions ordinary citizens are asking is how much this new renewable energy idea costs. And the answer is: a lot. Installing these solar panels entails high costs, to which must be added maintenance to preserve the panels’ suitability against deterioration from water, storms, and potential natural disasters. However, Floatovoltaic systems are found closer to hydroelectric dams or water treatment facilities which have already been linked to the power grid in India. In the process, this eliminates the costs incurred when connecting new energy sources to the grid. India is already listed as one of the top five countries with the best floatovoltaic potential. Other countries that have incredible photovoltaic potential are Brazil, Canada, China, and the U.S.

Floating panels will generate approximately 15% more electricity

In India’s state-owned reservoir projects, the goal is to harness solar energy while simultaneously conserving drinking water. Floating panels will generate approximately 15% more electricity than land-based panels, while reducing problems such as overheating. On the one hand, floating solar technology provides clean energy and, on the other, preserves hybrid resources.

In the fight to determine whether solar energy is the solution or whether wind generators emerge as a competitor that can completely eliminate solar panels, we may have to say goodbye to wind power. With a floating solar plant that mimics the architecture of an island, they have managed to attract the attention of researchers and entrepreneurs.