The State Power and Non-Conventional Energy Sources Department and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) are together going to implement a unique project – Kolkata’s first floating solar power plant.
The power generating solar photovoltaic (PV) cells are going to be placed on the waters of Bikramgarh Lake in Golf Green in the southern part of the city.
The full project, which includes beautification of the lake, would cost Rs 4 crore. According to State Government sources, the power generated by the solar PV cells would lead to the saving (over conventional generation costs) of about Rs 40.5 crore.
The project would cover an area of 1 acre of the 7.3 acres that the lake is spread over. The rows of cells would be placed on a network of pipes, which would be balanced on the surface of the water with anchors lying at the bottom of the lake.
Preliminary work for setting up the power plant has already started. Echo sounding is being used to measure the depth of the lake and bathymetry is being used to map the lake floor.
Source: aitcofficial.org
