Floating solar panels installed on reservoir lakes in India have grown to a size visible from space. These systems save land, reduce evaporation, and help prevent algal blooms. India is expanding these projects across the country, turning reservoir lakes into energy hubs.
While installation costs are high and environmental impacts remain debated, these floating solar farms offer significant advantages such as land conservation, reduced water evaporation, and prevention of algae formation. Additionally, India is pushing to deploy these systems nationwide.
A NEW ERA IN SOLAR ENERGY: FROM LAND TO WATER
Large, sunny land areas, like the Mojave and Thar deserts, have long been preferred for solar energy plants. However, solar panels are now being installed on water surfaces as well. Especially placed on lakes and reservoir surfaces, these floating solar panels are reaching sizes visible from space.
Satellite images reveal the development of floating solar panels on a reservoir of the Narmada River in central India. Images from Landsat 9’s OLI-2 camera taken on January 30, 2025, show an advanced stage of the project, while images from February 10, 2023, reflect an earlier phase.
216 MEGAWATTS OF ENERGY: OPERATIONAL IN 2024
The project is hosted on a reservoir near the Omkareshwar Dam in Madhya Pradesh, which was completed in 2007. The reservoir has a capacity of 987 million cubic meters and covers over 90 square kilometers.
Satellite images from 2025 highlight floating solar panels in the northeastern and southeastern arms of the reservoir. These panels belong to two separate projects: one with 126 megawatts and another with 90 megawatts, both operational in 2024.
CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES
Experts note that floating solar energy systems present challenges, including high initial investment costs, sensitivity to natural events, and potential long-term effects on water quality. However, these systems offer key benefits such as preventing evaporation, blocking algae growth, and reducing land requirements.
India is implementing these systems not just at Omkareshwar, but also in other locations across the country. For example, floating solar projects of 100 megawatts are operational in Ramagundam in the southeast, and 92 megawatts in Kayamkulam in the south.