Tata Power Joins Hands with Norwegian Firm for Membrane-Based Solar
Tata Power, partners with Norwegian renewable energy tech firm Ocean Sun for membrane based floating solar equipment in India. The businesses will pilot Ocean Sun’s revolutionary solution in a 300 kWp pilot at Tata Power’s Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra.
To introduce its cutting-edge floating solar technology based on membranes to the Indian market, Tata Power has teamed up with Ocean Sun, a renewable energy technology business based in Norway. Instead of using expensive floats, the modules will float on the membrane, which should reduce their overall cost. The partnership was inked during the 2nd India-EFTA Prosperity Summit. This further solidifies the bilateral cooperation between India and Norway as well as between India and the Economic Free Trade Association (EFTA) in the areas of sustainable energy, innovation, and technology.
Tata Power's Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra will serve as the site for the experimental project. Ocean Sun's floating solar technology, which is based on their unique membrane, will be tested in Indian circumstances to determine its performance, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Concurrently, this technology will provide useful operational insights that could be used for future implementation.
How Membrane Solar System Work?
Ocean Sun's revolutionary technique eliminates the need for pontoons in traditional floating solar systems by mounting photovoltaic modules on a thin hydro-elastic membrane that floats effortlessly on top of the water. Reduced structural requirements and easier transportation and installation are also possible outcomes of the design's lightweight construction. There may be an improvement in generation performance due to the cooling effect caused by the PV modules' closeness to the water surface.
Through the 300 kWp trial, Tata Power will be able to compare Ocean Sun's technology against traditional floating solar systems in essential areas. Energy production, capacity utilisation factor (CUF), installation technique and duration, dependability, O&M needs, capital cost, and overall commercial feasibility are all part of these characteristics. The possibility of floating solar deployment in India is substantial.
India’s Floating Solar Potential
More than 102 GWp of floating solar potential exists in the nation, according to calculations made by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). Consequently, the technology has a significant opportunity to augment ground-mounted and rooftop solar systems as India expands its renewable energy infrastructure. Given this context, technological pilots like Mulshi can contribute to the establishment of the necessary commercial and technical proof foundation for widespread implementation. Further, a less reliance on land is possible with floating solar, which allows for the generation of electricity from appropriate bodies of water. In addition, it may provide chances for further benefits, such as less water evaporation and maybe better PV efficiency.
Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO and MD of Tata Power, commented on the effort, saying that Tata hopes to get useful operational insights and evaluate its capacity to provide dependable, scalable, and affordable clean power solutions through this floating solar trial. Kristian Tørvold, CEO of Ocean Sun, expanded on these ideas by saying that India is a huge and complicated market that requires local execution skills, but it is also one of the most appealing floating solar markets globally. In order to successfully traverse this complexity, Tata Power delivers the necessary expertise, resources, and knowledge of the market, stated Tørvold.
