New Delhi: Maharashtra is now going to join the list of states in India that have floating solar power plants as it plans to use water bodies, such as reservoirs and canals, to set up solar panels. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has also floated tenders for a 1,000 MW floating solar power project in the Ujani dam reservoir. The bids are to be submitted by January 28, 2019.

The project will not only give a boost to green energy production but will also prevent evaporation loss at the dam, saving about 1 TMC of water every year.

The project will not only give a boost to green energy production but will also prevent evaporation loss at the dam, saving about 1 TMC of water every year. The solar panels set up on water bodies are cooler due to evaporating water when compared with those set up on land. The cool temperature also makes the power plant more efficient as opposed to the ones mounted on land.

The state government, through a resolution dated July 20, 2015, resolved the comprehensive grid connected renewable policy for development of 14,400 MW power from new and renewable sources of energy in the state.

It has plans to develop solar power projects of 7,500 MW capacity, of which, 2,500 MW capacity projects will be developed by the state generation company through the public private partnership mode and 10 percent of it shall be implemented at places available along the canals, lakes, water bodies of the water resources department or of the local government bodies. Before Maharashtra, Bengal and Kerala are two other states that have built floating solar power plants.