GUJARAT CANAL TOP SOLAR POWER

PROJECT

By -Rohan Gupta(14csu172) Sachin verma(14csu175)

WHAT IS IT ?

The Canal Solar Power Project is a project launched in Gujarat, to use 19,000 Kilometre long network of Narmada canals across the state for setting up solar panels to generate electricity.

It was the first ever such project in India.

What is the need?

solar energy technologies are clean sources of energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies.

After the oil supply disruptions of the early 1970s, our nation has increased its dependence on foreign oil supplies instead of decreasing it. This increased dependence impacts more than just our national energy policy.

More about the project

It was inaugurated by Mr. Narendra Modi on 24th April 2012.

It is situated on the Narmada branch canal near Chandrasan village of kadi taluka.

The is being built by Sun Edison at a cost of Rs 177.1 million.

Its is the world's first 1MW canal top solar power plant.

Advantages of the project If even 10 per cent of the 19,000 km-long

Narmada canal network in Gujarat is used for setting up canal-top solar panels, it has the potential to produce2,200 MW of solar power

Simultaneously it will prevent 90 lakh (9 Million) litres of water from evaporation annually

Land does not need to be acquired separately to construct a solar park.

The solar panels produced 15 per cent extra power as compared to land installations as the water flowing under the panels kept them relatively cool.

11000 acres of land can be potentially conserved with about 20 billion litres of water saved per annum which is quiet significant in draught prone region like Rann of Kutch.

Some disadvantages of the project Increased construction cost which would

be more than made up by the land acquisition savings.

Water + electronics = bad Maintenance of solar panels is quiet high. Maintenance of canal, once solar panels

are installed is an issue.

Future Perspective

Gujarat has about 450 km of open main canal while the total lenght is about 19000km at present. When completed the whole network will be about 85000km long

It is estimated that 2200MW of solar power can be easily generated by the solar panels covering the canals.

Some pictures of the project