Thu Feb 27 15:49:50 UTC 2025: ## Kerala to Harness Floating Solar Power: New Guidelines Approved

**Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27, 2025** – The Kerala Cabinet has approved guidelines for the development of floating solar power plants, aiming to significantly boost the state’s renewable energy capacity. The initiative, complementing Kerala’s existing Solar Energy Policy, targets a 3-gigawatt increase in renewable energy generation by utilizing reservoirs, backwaters, and even quarries.

The guidelines establish a streamlined process for developers, including a single-window system for approvals and three application modes: tenders issued by government agencies, direct applications from developers, and proposals for sites identified in a new “land bank” system. The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) will coordinate project development.

Initially, man-made water bodies will be prioritized. Eligible developers must have experience in electrical energy generation, having previously built a plant at least one-third the size of the proposed project. Projects will operate under a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model, with a recommendation to incorporate up to 50% energy storage.

Two categories of potential sites have been identified: Category A, comprising KSEB and Water Resources department reservoirs (5,000 MW potential), and Category B, encompassing backwaters and other water bodies (1,500 MW potential). Both categories utilize 10% of available water surface area. KSEB and relevant agencies will have first right of refusal for the generated power.

State and district-level committees will facilitate project implementation, with district committees responsible for identifying suitable sites and establishing the “land banks.” The long-term vision includes integrating floating solar power with pumped storage projects and future hydrogen production. The guidelines highlight the potential for generating green hydrogen through electrolysis, emphasizing the far-reaching implications of this initiative.

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