Largest floating solar plant set for India

Indian solar power company Vikram Solar will begin construction on the world's largest floating solar power plant on a lake in east India and the application will also be the first in the country.

The project is scheduled for completion before the end of this year, and will produce 15 kilowatts (KW) of electricity to the local grid which would mean it overtaking Japanese floating applications as the biggest in the world.

The plant will be built on a 1,400 sq ft platform, and will be anchored to the lakebed next to Kolkata’s New Town Eco Park.

S.P. Gon Chaudhuri, a spokesperson for the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, said: “Acquiring land for solar projects is a very big problem now. Water bodies are available in plenty.”

The project will cost 2 million rupees (£19,500), with another 2 million rupees dedicated to research and development.

The 15kw kilowatt-hours of electricity will be sold to the local grid and the project has attracted the interest of other companies who could follow the example being set.

India is a leading country in large-scale renewable energy projects, with highly ambitious targets set to revolutionise the country’s energy development.

A contributing policy to Narendra Modi's newly elected government’s success was the promise of solar generated electricity to every household in India currently without access, which is around 400 million people.