The Kerala Cabinet has approved draft guidelines for developing floating solar power plants, aiming to boost the state’s renewable energy capacity. The guidelines propose creating district-level site “banks” and offer three application modes for developers, supported by a single-window system for faster implementation. 

Aligned with Kerala’s Solar Energy Policy, the guidelines target the use of reservoirs, backwaters, and water-filled quarries to help the state achieve its 3 GW renewable energy goal. The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) will coordinate these projects. 

Initially focusing on man-made waterbodies, eligible developers must have prior experience in electrical energy projects, having built power plants with at least one-third of the proposed project’s capacity. Projects will follow a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, with developers encouraged to incorporate up to 50% energy storage. 

A state-level committee led by the Chief Secretary and district-level committees headed by District Collectors will identify potential sites, forming district-level “land banks” from privately-owned and government-managed areas. 

Two categories of sites have been identified:

 

• Category A: Reservoirs managed by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Water Resources Department, with a potential of 5,000 MW by using 10% of the available area. 

• Category B: Backwaters, freshwater bodies from mining and quarrying, and non-agricultural land, with a potential of 1,500 MW using 10% of the area. 

KSEB will have the right of first refusal for power from the plants, with similar rights extended to the Water Resources Department and Kerala Water Authority for projects on their reservoirs. 

The single-window system will streamline the approval process, allowing developers to apply through three modes: government-issued tenders or expressions of interest, direct applications, and proposals for sites identified in district-level land banks. 

(The Hindu)