{
  "id": 29335,
  "title": "Can ‘floating’ solar boost India’s renewable energy uptake? | Explained",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/can-floating-solar-boost-indias-renewable-energy-uptake-explained",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-02T05:13:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/can-floating-solar-boost-indias-renewable-energy-uptake-explained/article71293629.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Union Cabinet of India has approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY), a central-sector scheme aimed at establishing 5,000 MW of floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) capacity on the nation's reservoirs and water bodies. The scheme carries a total budget of ₹5,070 crore and provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to ₹1 crore per MW, released only after a project is commissioned. Every project must be accompanied by an energy storage system of at least two hours, totalling 10,000 MWh across all projects, to enable States to utilize stored power during peak demand periods.\n\nThe Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will oversee the implementation of the scheme, which the government anticipates will attract approximately ₹28,500 crore in private investment. Currently, India boasts a mere 0.7 GW of floating solar capacity, despite a potential of 102 GW. This form of solar energy involves panels floating on water surfaces, such as reservoirs, irrigation tanks, industrial ponds, or hydropower lakes, as opposed to traditional land-based installations.\n\nModular panel blocks are assembled onshore, floated out, and secured in place using anchors and mooring lines designed to withstand wind, waves, and shifting water levels. Inverters are situated on the floats or banks, and cables run over the floats to a substation.\n\nA primary constraint in land-based solar energy is the availability of suitable land. As ground-mounted solar has grown, a June 2026 assessment by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) — the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy's technical wing — identified land scarcity as the critical bottleneck, particularly where farming, urban areas, and forests compete for the same ground. Floating solar addresses this issue by utilizing existing water surfaces owned by States, and it can distribute generation across States that have low renewable potential but possess large reservoirs.\n\nThe mandatory inclusion of storage in FSPV projects ensures that their electricity can be shifted to evening peak hours, preventing curtailment. Curtailment refers to the intentional suppression of solar power output due to lack of battery storage, which would otherwise keep thermal plants running and maintain grid stability. Utility-scale solar requires large, contiguous land parcels, and securing them has become slower and more contentious as prime sites become scarce. FSPV sidesteps most of these issues as it only necessitates land for the cabling that transmits power to the grid.\n\nTo de-risk the technology, a fledgling sector for which States have limited experience, the scheme offers advance CFA of up to ₹30 lakh (rising to ₹50 lakh per site) to cover bathymetry and hydrography surveys, studies of ecological impact, and detailed solar-yield assessments. The feasibility report must be submitted within nine months. By absorbing these upfront costs and technical challenges, the Center hopes to lower the barrier for State Governments to pursue such projects.\n\nFloating solar functions similarly to land-based solar, with sunlight converting to electricity. The key difference lies in the flotation-and-mooring system underneath. Water cooling can enhance energy yield, while shading reduces evaporation and algae growth. However, there are trade-offs, primarily mechanical. Occasional DC cable breakage has been reported by developers, and walkways can become slippery, especially during the monsoon season. This necessitates trained crews and strict safety protocols.\n\nInterest in floating solar has surged in the past decade, reaching roughly 9.6 GW globally by 2024, with an annual addition of 1–1.2 GW across more than 500 completed projects — over 90% of which are in Asia. China leads the pack, followed by India, South Korea, and Japan, where land scarcity, favorable policies, and abundant reservoirs have spurred adoption. Europe is a smaller but growing market, with installations rising from 10 MW in 2017 to nearly 270 MW by 2022, with the Netherlands accounting for roughly three-quarters of the continent's capacity. Emerging players include Israel, Brazil, Chile, Ghana, and Australia.\n\nEnvironmental factors, such as falling water levels, pose operational risks. The report warns that \"changes in water level alter mooring line tensions and movement envelopes,\" impacting array stability over time. Sites with rapid or unpredictable water level fluctuations require adaptive mooring designs. The Renewable Energy Ministry estimates that the cost per MW for land-based solar is approximately ₹3.9–4.2 crore, while floating solar is roughly ₹4.9–5.2 crore, 25% higher, due to the additional requirements of floats, anchors, and moorings. The mandated battery adds another ₹0.9–1.2 crore per MWh.\n\nThe PM-SSY scheme dovetails with India's climate commitments outlined in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution and the Panchamrit goals of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil power by 2030 and attaining net-zero emissions by 2070. It is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by around 10 million tonnes annually while creating 16,000–17,000 jobs across the value chain.",
  "summary": "With land increasingly scarce and storage becoming crucial, here’s why India is looking to its vast reservoirs for the next phase of solar expansion",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}