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2 July 2022.
Introduction:
India’s largest floating solar power plant was made fully operational by NTPC at Ramagundam, Telangana.
About the floating solar power plant
- The capacity of solar plant is 100 MW.
- It is powered with advanced technology and environment friendly features.
- The project spreads over 500 acres of its reservoir.
- The project is divided into 49 blocks. Each block has capacity of 2.5MW and each block comprise of one floating platform and a matrix of 11,200 solar modules.
- The floating platform comprises a transformer, inverter and a HT breaker.
- The solar modules are kept on floaters which are manufactured with HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) material.
Significance of the power plant
The presence of floating solar panels will reduce evaporation rate from water bodies. Thus, it will serve the purpose of water conservation.
Renewable Energy Sector in India
- As on November 30, 2021; India’s installed Renewable Energy (RE) capacity is 150.54 GW. Out of this, solar capacity is 48.55 GW, Small hydro Power 4.83 GW, wind is 40.03 GW, Bio-power: 10.62, Large Hydro: 46.51 GW.
- India’s nuclear energy based installed electricity capacity is 6.78 GW.
- Thus, the total non-fossil based installed energy capacity stands at 157.32 GW. It accounts for 40.1% of the total installed electricity capacity of 392.01 GW.
- India has already achieved its target, in November 2021, of having 40% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. India had committed this target at COP21 as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)
- At COP26, India has committed to achieve 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
NTPC
NTPC Ltd. is a central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) which comes under Ministry of Power. It was established in 1975 with an aim to boost power development in India. It is India’s largest energy conglomerate. It became a Maharatna Company in 2010.