Canal Solar Power Project
The channel solar power project (English Canal Solar Power Project, gujarati નર્મદા કેનાલ ટોપ સોલાર પાવર પ્રોજેક્ટ ) arises in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is a part of the 19,000 km long Narmada canal network are covered with photovoltaic modules. This produces electrical energy, while at the same time evaporation of the water and the growth of algae in the channel can be reduced. It is the first project of its kind
Challenges
In rural India include the supply of electricity and the supply of water to the great challenges that affect the region's economy. Water is needed for food, agriculture and livestock, and contaminated drinking water is the cause of 60 percent of the diseases in India. Inadequate or non-constant water supply reduced the crop yield and leads to hunger. Before the Narmada canal network was built, the people had to run five kilometers in some cases up to the next source.
In order to provide the population coverage and constant with water, the Narmada canal system was built with a total length of 19,000 km. In contrast to long-distance water supply such as in Germany, the channels are above ground and open. The hot, sunny and windy climate in Gujarat promote the evaporation of the water provided to the population. At the same form by the sunlight in the water algae that make the water undrinkable and clog pumps, making repairs necessary and reduce productivity.
With the cover of the channels with photovoltaic modules evaporation and algae growth are reduced simultaneously.
Siting
The Narmada canal network consists of many channel arms that are different widths. The main channels are too wide to mount the photovoltaic modules free exciting. For this reason, narrow secondary channels have been considered. In order to use solar energy optimally, the selected channel should have a north- south orientation. Important was also a city location, where there are already all year motorable roads and electricity grid connections, which reduces the investment costs.
Pilot project
24 April 2012 consecrated Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, a pilot project. The project is located on the Narmada branch duct in a village in Kadi taluka in the district of Mahesana ( Mehsana ).
The originally planned output of 250 kW was expanded to 1 MW. The overlap with photovoltaic modules reduces the annual evaporation of about 7,000 cubic meters of drinking water. In the cooler by the coverage of water also algae growth is reduced.
Planning and construction
The contract for design, tender and construction ( EPC contract ) went for 177.1 million rupees (about 2.65 million euros ) to SunEdison India. The pilot project was developed by the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation ( GSEC ) with support from the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd ( SSNNL ), which owns the canal network and waits.
The photovoltaic modules are mounted on 16 m long, exciting free carriers which transversely running over the canal and are fastened to the shore. Assembled were 226 MEMC Silvantis 280W photovoltaic modules, divided into eight blocks. The blocks contain decks and are mounted with a 15 m distance, to allow the cleaning of the photovoltaic modules. In the support center there is a gap for maintenance of the canal.
The investment costs were reduced firstly by the fact that the facility was near a town and built so near an existing power grid. Secondly, in addition to the channels already all year motorable roads are available, reducing the cost have been reduced for the development. The canals and the streets also have uniform technical conditions, which simplifies planning.
For coal power plants are located, according to representations of the Siemens AG in a project of 600 ° C/800-MW-Klasse in Germany at 1700 € per kilowatt / 1.7 million per megawatt. In India, one hopes lower prices for larger project dimensions.
Feeding into the grid
According to the German lobby group Krannich Media Information Services India promotes entitled Generation Based Incentives form a feed-in tariff, as well as with investment subsidies photovoltaic systems. Accordingly, the Indian Energy Agency ( IREDA ) supports every kilowatt hour fed future with converted 0.18 EUR, unless the power company purchase their electricity from selected plants.
Potential and other projects
In the Indian state of Gujarat, there are about 458 km open main channels. After completion of the SSNNL - channel network will include this about 85,000 km. Would ten percent of the 19,000 km long canal network covered with photovoltaic modules, so that a photovoltaic capacity of 2.2 GW could be installed. At the same time 44.5 square kilometers of land could be obtained. The reduced evaporation leads to a water savings of 2 million cubic meters of water, which would correspond to just over 4 million euros according to German prices. In the pilot project, only about 14,000 euros would save a year, the extra investment costs are several times higher.
The Indian Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah supported the project in the press. According to Abdullah, the Damodar Valley Corporation, which has over 2,000 km of sewer network is to create a similar one MW project.
The Gujarat Solar Park Program 2012 605 MW and 2013 a total of 856.81 MW photovoltaic capacity were installed. The canal project is part of the Charanka solar park in Patan.