Kerala is making waves in renewable energy. On February 28, 2025, the state’s Council of Ministers gave the green light to draft guidelines for floating solar power plants. This move tackles a big hurdle—land scarcity. With reservoirs, backwaters, and unused water bodies in sight, Kerala is ready to harness the sun freshly.
Why Floating Solar?
Land’s tough to come by in this lush state. The guidelines point out that floating solar can help hit a hefty target: 3 GW of new capacity in two years. That’s a serious boost for a state aiming to go green fast. Plus, it’s not just about power—it’s about supporting new industries too.
- Green Hydrogen Link: “Green hydrogen through electrolysis can be generated utilising the energy generated from these plants,” the draft states.
- Water Bodies in Play: Think dams, quarries, and even land too rough for farming.
It’s a smart fix for a crowded place with big energy dreams.
How It’ll Work
The state is setting up a smooth system. A single-window portal will handle applications. Developers can apply, track approvals, and get the nod from various departments—all in one spot. “A single window system shall be deployed,” the guidelines confirm. This cuts red tape and speeds things up.
Power Plus Storage
Here’s the cool part—pairing solar with dams. The draft notes that combining floating plants with pumped storage in hydel projects solves a tricky issue: energy storage. Daytime solar, but the peak load is during the night. Water pumped up during the day and permitted to flow back down later guarantees that the juice keeps flowing. It’s a working innovation that could make Kerala unique.
Kerala has got ambition backed by stats:
- Target: 3 GW capacity addition in the next two years.
- Current Push: According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India had 214 GW of green capacity nationwide as of 2024.
- Big Picture: The country wants 50% non-fossil power by 2030.
Floating solar’s a piece of that puzzle, and Kerala’s jumping in with both feet.
Other Players in the Game
Kerala is not alone in advancing renewable energy. Tamil Nadu has a 24.7 MW floating solar plant that cuts 38,376 tonnes of CO₂ yearly, per SolarQuarter. Madhya Pradesh is building a 600 MW giant at Omkareshwar. These projects show that floating solar is catching on across India. Kerala’s guidelines could spark even more action.
Challenges Ahead
It’s not all sunny skies. Setting up on water takes tech and cash, and grids need upgrades to handle the load. Still, the state’s betting on its water wealth—backwaters and reservoirs galore—to make it work.
This is just the start. The draft’s approved, but now it’s about building. Kerala’s eyeing a cleaner, greener future, and floating solar could be the key. “It is a proposal with wide-ranging and long-term implications,” the guidelines say. If it pans out, those water bodies might power homes, hydrogen plants, and more. The sun’s up, and Kerala’s ready to catch every ray.
