changeadminThe Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh in Central India is more popularly known for Omkareshwar Temple, one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.
The region now boasts of hosting India’s largest floating solar park.
Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park is one of Asia’s largest floating solar projects with a capacity of 600 MW of which currently 278 MW is commissioned.
Several solar power park developers are involved, including Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited, SJVN Ltd, Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation Ltd., and AMP Energy Green Pvt Ltd.
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited is a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. The company has been designated as a solar power park developer in Madhya Pradesh by India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The floating solar panels sit on top of the Narmada River, one of the most sacred rivers in India. It is also uniquely positioned between the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar hydroelectric reservoirs.
The floating solar project marks a significant step forward in India’s renewable energy journey as it addresses land constraints while promoting sustainable development. In addition, the cooling effect of water enhances solar panel performance, thereby increasing energy output.
Moreover, apart from carbon reduction, the floating solar project minimises water evaporation.
India has set an aggressive national target to enhance the share of renewable energy in its overall generation portfolio. At the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021, India announced its intention to achieve a target of 500 GW of renewable energy installed capacity and 50% of renewable energy in the total energy mix by 2030. In addition, India also pledged to cut its carbon emissions to net zero by 2070.
Madhya Pradesh is the second largest state in India, after Rajasthan, therefore its contribution to India’s renewable energy mix is important. While the latter is the top Indian state producing renewable energy, Madhya Pradesh has a fair bit of catching.
Even though Madhya Pradesh has significantly increased its renewable energy capacity, from less than 500 MW in 2012 to its current capacity of 7,000 MW, a 14-fold increase over the past 12 years.
Once India’s Largest Floating Solar Park at Omkareshwar reaches its full capacity of 600 MW, it will generate more than 4600 million units of clean energy over the next 25 years.
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