Canal-top solar offers India a way to expand generation without new land
Canal-top photovoltaic systems could help India add solar capacity while limiting pressure on land, according to The Hindu. The technology uses canal surfaces rather than requiring substantial new land acquisition. In Punjab, 20 megawatts of canal-top installations are estimated to have saved nearly 100 acres.
India’s canal network offers a potential route for expanding solar power without requiring substantial additional land, The Hindu reports. Canal-top photovoltaic systems are described as similar to floating solar installations, with their main advantage being the limited need for land. The approach could be particularly relevant as land acquisition for large-scale solar becomes more expensive.
In Punjab, installing 20 megawatts of canal-top systems is estimated to have saved nearly 100 acres of land, according to the supplied material. The figures indicate the land-saving potential of the technology, but the source does not provide a national estimate for canal-top capacity or identify the number of projects operating across India. It also gives no information about costs, maintenance or the systems’ overall electricity output.
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