India solar power canal project to power over 1.5 million homes

The Indian State of Gujurat unveiled a new plan back in 2012 to cover roughly 1,000 miles of wide-open canals with solar panels. The India solar power canal project would be capable of generating over 2.2 GWh of power, more than enough electricity for over 1.5 million homes in the region.

Gujurat is home to some of the longest open irrigation canals in the country. The serpentine canals stretch for over 11,000 miles and the current project is set to cover only 10%.

The solar PV panels will be placed on top of the canal, protecting the water below and simultaneously creating one large solar power plant.

India solar power canal project to generate over 2.2GWh

In comparison, 1 GWh in the United States is already capable of powering over 750,000 American homes. The estimated 2.2 GWh that the India solar power plant project will generate will be able to give electricity to over 1.5 million homes, especially considering that the average home uses less electricity when compared to their United States counterpart.

The India solar power canal project isn’t just going to generate a lot of free electricity for millions of homes – it is a symbiotic design that will also benefit the canal. The solar PV panels will cover the canal, protecting the water from the heat of the sun.

This will ensure that the water does not dry up and evaporate, allowing the canal to grow and irrigate the nearby crops. As the canal cools it will serve as a natural cooling system for the solar panels, ensuring that they continue to work at their optimal efficiency.

India solar power project expected to have minimal negative impact

One of the biggest benefits of the projects is that the open canals are not located in any areas inhabited by endangered wildlife such as desert tortoises. This means there will be fewer environmental consequences to the construction.

Gujurat initiated the project two years ago when they began with a pilot test run that generated 1 MW. The project ran successfully with little to no legal battles and now the project is on its run to hit the targeted 2.2 GW.

Technology advancements still needed for solar project to be successful

However some of the structural issues that remains to be overcome is that moisture from the canal will in time, cause maintenance issues with the electronic panels above.

A support structure is also needed as the panels need to rest on something or else they could fall into the water below. Transmission will also be difficult because miles upon miles of cables will be required to transmit the generated energy.

Despite all this, the Gujurat 1,000-Mile solar power canal project is one of the most promising in the world of renewable energy. Not only will it help the local irrigation of the canals but the energy produced will be capable of supplying free energy to millions of homes in the region.

It will also help in the fight against water scarcity, an issue that has loomed over India for decades. While it may take years before the India solar power canal project hits its 2.2 GW goal, the region is still on the right track and it is likely that other regions in country will follow suit to create a more eco-friendly and sustainable India.

 

AmericanSolarQuotes.com
This article was originally published by Eddy Buckley on AmericanSolarQuotes.com

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