Floatovoltaics

IN NEWS:

• The work of installing three floating solar power plants in water reservoirs in Madhya Pradesh with a total investment of Rs 7,500 crore will start soon. These projects will be in addition to the 600 MW floating solar power plant in Omkareshwar dam area of Khandwa district.

FLOATOVOLTAICS:

• Floatovoltaics, floating solar plants, or FSPV (Floating Solar Photovoltaic) are panel structures that are installed on water bodies like lakes, basins, and reservoirs instead of on solid structures like a roof or terraces.
• In this, solar panels are usually mounted upon a pontoon-based floating structure and to keep its location fixed, floating structure is anchored and moored.

• The first floating photovoltaic system was built in Japan in 2007. In 2008, the first commercial installation, though small in size, came up in California.
• As of 2020, there were more than 300 floating solar installations worldwide.
• Global research firm Wood Mackenzie estimates that global demand for floating solar power will grow by 22% year-over-year on an average from 2019 to 2024.

INDIA AND FSPV PLANTS:

• The Government plans to establish a renewable energy capacity of 500 GW by 2030. In recent years, floating solar power plants have become an important part in attaining this target.
• According to a 2020 study by think tank The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), reservoirs cover 18,000 square kilometres in India and can generate 280 GW through floating solar panels.
• India’s largest floating solar power project, spanning over 600 acres, is at Ramagundam in Peddapalli district of Telangana.
• The world’s largest floating solar energy project is being constructed on the Omkareshwar dam in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, covering approximately 2000 hectares and capable of generating 600 MW.

BENEFITS OF FSPV:

• Easy installation and deployment:
  • Unlike ground-based panels, no civil work or land preparation is required for FSPVs. Also, the individual floats are prefabricated and can be installed in a short span of time.
• Higher efficiency:
  • Ambient temperature over a waterbody is generally lower than the ambient temperature on land and wind speed tends to be higher over open water as compared to that on land. This evaporative cooling effect results in lower operating temperatures of the PV cell.
  • As a result, floating solar farms can be up to 15% more efficient than those on the ground.
• Land neutral:
  • Since FSPV plants are installed on water surfaces, the land requirement is nominal as compared to ground-mounted solar plants. This is important for developing countries like India, where land is scarce and land acquisition creates hurdles.
• Reduction in water loss:
  • FSPV plants provide shade to the water surfaces and also limit the interaction of wind on the water surfaces. The combined benefit of these may results in reduction in the water evaporation losses. Also, the panels prevent the growth of algae in the water, which improves its quality.
  • Eg: The Ministry of Power has said that approximately 32.5 lakh cubic meters per year of water evaporation can be avoided through the Ramagundam FSPV plant.
• Sustainable energy production:
  • Eg: Through the 100 MW Ramagundam project, coal consumption of 1,65,000 tons and CO₂ emission of 2,10,000 tons per year can be avoided. Also, the project enables saving 2000 million litres of water per annum, which will otherwise be used for hydropower generation.
• Integration with existing electrical infrastructure:
  • Many inland waterbodies especially reservoirs of hydroelectric plants have gird connections that are already available. Hence deploying FSPV plants in such cases saves cost by utilizing the already existing infrastructure.
• Complementary operation with hydroelectric plants:
  • FSPV plants in combination with existing hydroelectric power plants can improve power production, especially in lean seasons and peak hours.
  • By using solar power during the day and hydropower during the night, they can also act as an energy storage unit.
• Ease of maintenance:
  • FSPV plants in inland waterbodies have water readily available for cleaning purposes. Also, since wind blowing over water surfaces contains less dust as compared to wind blow over land, FSPV installations are subjected to less dust.

CONCERNS:

• Technical challenges:
  • Technical aspects like hydrography/water-bed topography studies, electrical safety, anchoring and mooring issues, and operation and maintenance are unique to FSPVs and often require multi-sectoral expertise.
  • As the solar panels are sited on water bodies, their durability (Eg: resistance to corrosion) is a major challenge.
• High investments:
  • India is heavily dependent on import of PV cells, particularly from China. This, coupled with technical and maintenance complexities increases the expense of setting and operating floating solar farms.
• Weak finances of DISCOMS:
  • According to data from the power ministry, the state distribution companies (DISCOMs) owe Rs 1.3 trillion to the generating companies. The delay in payments discourages private entities. Also, fragile financial health makes it difficult for state DISCOMs to set up FSPV plants on their own.   
• Ecological concerns:
  • Since the technology is relatively new, there are concerns about the long-term ecological impact on water ecosystems.
  • For instance, since FSPV plants reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the water, it may affect the water quality, temperature stratification and growth of marine organisms.
• Administrative challenges:
  • Multiple governing agencies:
    • Waterbodies are generally spread across large geographical area and often shared among multiple states/departments, making the process of getting clearance a complex task.
  • Unpredictable government policies:
    • Rules, regulations and taxes are imposed without much discussions or warnings. Eg: The introduction 5% GST on solar panels has forced several under-construction projects to run into troubles of profitability.
• Unviable tariffs:
  • Cut-throat competition among producers is forcing cost of renewables to decline to unsustainable levels. Also, despite solar energy tariffs in India are among the lowest in the world, state governments are keen to push them down further.
• Critical infrastructure:
  • Dams and reservoirs are sensitive infrastructure. This poses a challenge in involving private sector participation into the development of FSPV plants, especially foreign entities.
• Climate change:
  • There is uncertainty on the impacts due to climate change.  Changes in the occurrence and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts could impact the various FSPV installations.
• Absence of uniform standards:
  • Since FSPV as a technology is still in its nascent stages, there are no specific standards/technical guidelines available at the moment. This makes it difficult to ensure the build quality of plants.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS:

• Efforts by NTPC:
  • The National Thermal Power Corporation, with a target to produce 60 GW capacity through renewable sources by 2032, has commissioned 222 MW of floating solar projects, with another 40 MW in the construction stage.
  • NTPC has installed floating solar plants on reservoirs at Kayamkulam in Kerala (92 MW) and Simhadri in Andhra Pradesh (25 MW).
• National Solar Mission (NSM):
  • The mission seeks to establish India as a global leader in solar energy, by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country.
  • In 2014, the government revised the target to 100 GW by 2022:
    • 60 GW from ground-mounted large solar power plants
    • 40 GW from rooftop solar power plants
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for solar modules:
  • Union Cabinet has cleared Production Linked incentive (PLI) of Rs 19,500 crore to incentivise manufacturing of domestic solar cell modules.
  • It seeks to encourage India’s manufacturing capabilities and enhancing exports of High Efficiency Solar PV Modules for Enhancing – Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA):
  • ISA is conceived as a coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs.
• One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG):
  • The fundamental concept behind OSOWOS is to develop a transnational grid that will be laid all over the globe to transport the solar power generated across the globe to different load centres.
• Scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects”:
  • The scheme envisages supporting the States/UTs in setting up solar parks at various locations in the country with a view to create required infrastructure for setting up of solar power projects.
  • The capacity of the solar parks shall be 500 MW and above.
• Foreign investment:
  • In the solar panel manufacturing sector, the Indian government allows 100% foreign investment as equity and it qualifies for automatic approval.
  • The government is also encouraging foreign investors to set up renewable energy-based power generation projects on build-own-operate basis.
• National wind-solar hybrid energy policy:
  • MNRE adopted the policy to provide a framework for the promotion of large grid-connected wind-solar PV hybrid system for efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land.
  • The Policy seeks to promote new hybrid projects as well as hybridisation of existing wind/solar projects.

CONCLUSION:

• Formulation of FSPV-specific standards:
  • Sector specific guidelines are of vital importance to reap the benefits of this technology without causing any negative impact on the local environment.
• Develop indigenous manufacturing capabilities:
  • Developing a robust manufacturing ecosystem for polysilicon, wafer, and components is crucial for India to attain self-reliance in solar energy.
• Invest in research and development:
  • India needs to invest in research and development of indigenous PV cells, storage facilities, rare earth mineral extraction etc.
• Embraces a circular economy model for solar systems:
  • India could look at developing appropriate guidelines around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which holds manufacturers accountable for the entire life cycle of solar PV products and creating standards for waste recycling.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) is gaining momentum in India. Enumerate the benefits and challenges associated with FSPV.