Ahmedabad: In the near future, travelers from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar will witness an innovative sight of solar panels positioned on both banks of the Narmada canal. This collection of 15 solar panels, expected to be manufactured in Gujarat, is anticipated to generate 3 MW of electricity.

The state government has given in-principle approval to this project, which will be executed collaboratively by Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) and Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL).

During the university’s convocation on December 2, Prof S Sundar Manoharan, the Director-General of PDEU, announced the in-principle approval for the floating solar panel project, valued at Rs 26 crore, from GSECL. He highlighted that the 3 MW facility would be linked to a 1.5-megawatt/hour (mWh) storage system.

Mamta Verma, Principal Secretary (Energy & Petrochemicals) for the Government of Gujarat, confirmed the approval of the pilot project and expressed optimism about its success leading to replication elsewhere, aligning with the state government’s renewable energy (RE) sector policy, which provides incentives for such projects on a larger scale.

Prof Manoharan introduced the concept of ‘floatovoltaics’ or floating photovoltaics, acknowledging its growing interest in India. He explained that the proposed project would tether the floats with solar panels along the canal sides, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure. Government officials pointed out that the state’s numerous major water reservoirs provide opportunities for feasible small solar plants. DeshGujarat