Bihar’s first floating power plant

In Context 

• Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) is set to commission the state’s first two MW floating solar power plant in Darbhanga.

About the project

• The government has taken this initiative on an experimental basis. 
  • If the experiment is successful, the same work will be carried out at other places. 

• The Darbhanga power station plant is going to be the first-of-a-kind in Bihar which is being built over a pond.
• The plant consists of 4,004 solar modules. Each module is installed in the pond and is capable of generating 505-megawatt peak (MWp) electricity. 
  • They will generate around 2 MW of green and clean energy. 
• It will generate 2.7 million units annually and will help in reducing 64,125 tonnes of CO2 in its lifecycle of 25 years,
• The floating power plant will help meet two goals: Produce green energy from solar panels and promote fish farming.

What is Floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) ?

• The floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) system is an emerging technology in which a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is placed directly on top of a body of water, as opposed to on land or on building rooftops.
• These installations open up new opportunities for scaling up solar generating capacity, especially in countries with high population density and competing uses for available land. 
• The technology is particularly promising for fast-growing Asian economies. Interest is growing rapidly in the region, and large plants are being installed or planned in China, India and Southeast Asia.
• The world’s first floating solar plant was built in Japan, in Aichi Prefecture in central Honshu.
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has successfully commissioned India’s largest Floating Solar PV plant. 
  • Located at NTPC Simhadri in Andhra Pradesh, the 25 MW floating SPV project covers an area of 100 acres. 

Potential advantages of FPV include:

• Emerging alternative 
  • Floating solar units are emerging as an alternative to conventional ground-mounted PV systems. 
    • These conserve water through reduction of evaporation, increased generation due to cooling effect on the panels and reduced installation time.

• Scientifically proved: 
  • Scientific studies have proved that floating solar panels generate higher output due to lower ambient temperature existing on the surface of the waterbody.
• Avoids land acquisition 
  • The greatest advantage of floating solar is that it avoids land acquisition and site preparation issues associated with traditional solar installations. 
•  An attractive option for countries with high population density 
  • In some cases, floating solar allows for power generation to be sited much closer to areas where demand for electricity is high. 
    • This makes the technology an attractive option for countries with high population density and competing uses for available land.
• The technology can also help manage periods of low water availability by using solar capacity first and drawing on hydropower at night or during peak demand.
• They also ensure “improvements in water quality, through decreased algae growth” 

Challenges 

• Water surface conditions are much rougher (larger waves and higher winds)
• Mooring and anchoring become even more critical amid large tidal movements and currents.
• Salinity tests the durability of components
• The accumulation of marine organisms on equipment (“biofouling”) can interfere with functionality.
• The harsher near-shore environment imposes stringent requirements on floats, anchors, moorings, and components. 

Conclusion 

• Despite these challenges, floating solar offers significant opportunities for the global expansion of solar energy capacity.

Source: DTE