Context:

• The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved a 20 MW floating solar plant at Chilua Tal in Gorakhpur with the objective of developing the city as a ‘Solar City’.

Key Points:

• Location: Chilua Tal, Gorakhpur (near Fertilizer Plant)
• Capacity: 20 Megawatt (MW)
• Target Generation: Approximately 33.29 to 38.54 million units of green energy annually
• Investment: Around ₹140 crore
• Implementing Agency: Coal India Limited
• Area Covered: Approximately 80 acres
• Objective: As per the norms of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, cities developed as Solar Cities must reduce at least 10% of conventional energy demand within 5 years. For Gorakhpur, this target is around 121.8 million units.
• Land Allocation: 11.4181 hectares (28.20 acres) of Tourism Department land will be provided free of cost to Coal India Limited
• The identified land falls under the pond category and is classified as a protected category under Section 77(1)

Status of Floating Solar Plants in Uttar Pradesh:

• The Gorakhpur plant will be the third major floating solar plant in the state
• Auraiya: 20 MW plant (installed by NTPC)
• Khurja (Bulandshahr): 11 MW plant (installed by THDC India Limited)
• Over the past 9 years, Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress in the solar energy sector and has emerged as a leading green energy state in India
• Due to effective implementation of Solar Energy Policy 2017 and 2022, the state’s solar capacity has increased to over 5000 MW
• More than 4 lakh rooftop solar plants have been installed through effective policies, large projects, and public participation
• Under the Solar Energy Policy 2022, the state has set an ambitious target of developing 22,000 MW solar capacity
• Torrent Power is setting up a 0.5 MW Green Hydrogen pilot project in Gorakhpur with a production capacity of about 9 kg per hour
• Zero Footprint Industries Pvt Ltd is establishing a Green Hydrogen plant in Rampur with a capacity of 22.5 kg per hour

Floating Solar Plant:

• Floating solar plants are solar panels installed on water bodies (reservoirs, lakes) that float on the surface
• They help in saving land and reducing water evaporation
• India’s largest floating solar project is located at Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project (600 MW) on the Narmada River
• These projects are crucial to achieving India’s target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel energy by 2030

Importance:

• Land Saving: Utilizes unused water bodies instead of land meant for agriculture or development
• Higher Efficiency: Cooling effect of water increases panel efficiency by 5–10%
• Water Conservation: Reduces water evaporation
• Ecological Benefits: Helps in controlling algae growth in water

Major Floating Solar Plants in India:

• Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park:One of the largest floating solar projects in the world with a capacity of 600 MW, located on the backwaters of Omkareshwar Dam on the Narmada River
• Ramagundam Floating Solar Plant:Developed by NTPC with a capacity of 100 MW, it was India’s largest operational project at the time of commissioning in July 2022
• Kayamkulam Floating Solar Project:Located in Alappuzha district with a capacity of 92 MW, established by NTPC
• Simhadri Floating Solar PV Project:Located at Simhadri Thermal Power Station reservoir with a capacity of 25 MW
• Rihand Dam Floating Solar Plant:Proposed/installed capacity of 150 MW
• Sagardighi Floating Solar Project:Capacity of approximately 5 MW