Canal Solar Power Project
{{Short description|Energy project in Gujarat, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
File:Canal Top Solar Power Plant.jpg
The Canal Solar Power Project is a solar canal project launched in Gujarat, India, to use the {{convert|532|km|mi|abbr=on}} long network of Narmada canals across the state for setting up solar panels to generate electricity.{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3346191.ece |title=Now, Gujarat to cover Narmada canals with solar panels! |work=Business Line|location=Chennai |access-date=23 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425024336/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3346191.ece |archive-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead }} It was the first ever such project in India. This project has been commissioned by SunEdison India.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_solar-power-cells-on-narmada-canal-to-light-up-rural-homes_1647046 |title=Solar power cells on Narmada canal to light up rural homes|publisher=DNA |access-date=7 February 2012}}
Inauguration of pilot project
Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, inaugurated a 1 Megawatt (MW) pilot project on 24 April 2012. The project is situated on the Narmada branch canal near Chandrasan village of Kadi taluka in Mehsana district.
The pilot project will generate 1 MW{{cite web |last=Pandit |first=Virendra |date=12 March 2018 |title=Narmada canals can give 2,200 MW of solar power |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/narmada-canals-can-give-2200-mw-of-solar-power/article3352783.ece |website=Business Line|location=Chennai}} of clean energy and also prevent evaporation of {{convert|9000000|litres|abbr=off|}} of water annually from the canal. The project virtually eliminates the requirement to acquire vast tracts of land and limits evaporation of water from the {{convert|750|m|ft}} long canal. tackling two challenges simultaneously by providing energy and water security.
Engineering and construction
The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the project was awarded to SunEdison at a cost of {{INRConvert|177.1|m}}. The pilot project was developed on a 750-meter stretch of the canal by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) with support from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. (SSNNL), which owns and maintains the canal network.
The cost per megawatt of solar power, in this case, was much less than regular solar power plants, as the two banks of the canal will be used to cover the canal by installing solar power panel and the government did not have to spend much on creating basic infrastructure, including land acquisition .
Gujarat has about {{convert|458|km|mi|abbr=on}} of open main canal, while the total canal length, including sub-branches, is about {{convert|19000|km|mi|abbr=on}} at present. When completed, the SSNNL's canal network will be about {{convert|85000|km|mi|abbr=on}} long.
Assuming a utilization of only 10% of the existing canal network of {{convert|19000|km|mi}}, it is estimated that 2,200 MW of solar power generating capacity can be installed by covering the canals with solar panels.
This also implies that {{convert|11000|acres|km2|abbr=on}} of land can be potentially conserved along with about 20 billion liters of water saved per year.{{cite web |url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/state-pulls-off-rare-feat-in-reaping-sun-saving-water/940793/ |title=State pulls off rare feat in reaping Sun, saving water |publisher=ExpressIndia |access-date=24 April 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Praise for the project
Then Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah praised Gujarat's Canal Solar Power Project saying,{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/damodar-valley-to-replicate-gujarats-canal-top-solar-plant/474926/ |title=Damodar Valley to replicate Gujarat's canal-top solar plant|newspaper=Business Standard India |date=22 May 2012 |access-date=22 May 2012|agency=Press Trust of India }}{{cquote|Gujarat has shown the way with the commissioning of the world's first 1 MW canal-top solar power plant in Mehsana district.}}
Abdullah said Damodar Valley Corporation, which has over {{convert|2000|km|mi|abbr=on}} of canals, will follow Gujarat's lead and mount solar panels that can generate up to 1,000 MW.
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|India|Renewable energy}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.gujaratsolarpark.com/narendra-modi-worlds-first-canal-top-solar-plant-in-guj/ Narendra Modi world’s first canal-top solar plant in Gujarat]
- [http://www.powerind.in/2012/04/solar-pv-project-on-narmada-canal-in.html Solar PV Project on Narmada Canal in Gujarat to be inaugurated soon by Narendra Modi]
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Category:Photovoltaic power stations in India