India’s vast canal network offers a land-free path to solar power
India is exploring canal-top photovoltaics (CTPV) as a land-efficient method to expand its solar energy capacity. By installing solar panels over existing irrigation canals, the country can generate electricity while simultaneously reducing water evaporation.
Why it matters
This innovation addresses the critical challenge of land acquisition for large-scale renewable energy projects in densely populated regions.
As India expands its clean energy capacity, finding land for solar projects is becoming a challenge. This is driving interest in innovative solar solutions that can generate power without needing more land.
The recently approved PM Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY) is a step in this direction, aiming to develop 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity on reservoirs and other inland water bodies across the country.
However, India’s water infrastructure has more to offer: the country’s vast canal network — one of the largest in the world — is another under-explored avenue to generate solar power. Built over existing irrigation and water-supply canals, canal-top photovoltaics (CTPV) provides a unique approach to turn them into clean energy assets.
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