https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Canal_Solar_Power_ProjectCanal Solar Power Project - Revision history2026-07-30T00:02:22ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Canal_Solar_Power_Project&diff=471287&oldid=prevSvetlltn at 10:36, 13 March 20262026-03-13T10:36:27Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Energy project in Gujarat, India}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=February 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}<br />
[[File:Canal Top Solar Power Plant.jpg|thumb|Canal Solar Power Project in Kadi]]<br />
The '''Canal Solar Power Project''' is a [[solar canal]] project launched in [[Gujarat]], India, to use the {{convert|532|km|mi|abbr=on}} long network of [[Narmada]] canals across the state for setting up [[solar panel]]s to generate electricity.<ref name=th>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3346191.ece |title=Now, Gujarat to cover Narmada canals with solar panels! |work=Business Line|location=Chennai |access-date=23 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425024336/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3346191.ece |archive-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first such project in India, it has been commissioned by [[SunEdison|SunEdison India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_solar-power-cells-on-narmada-canal-to-light-up-rural-homes_1647046 |title=Solar power cells on Narmada canal to light up rural homes|publisher=DNA |access-date=7 February 2012}}</ref><br />
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==Inauguration of pilot project==<br />
On 24 April 2012 [[Narendra Modi]], then Chief Minister of [[Gujarat]], inaugurated a 1 [[Megawatt]] (MW) pilot project covering {{convert|750|m|ft}} of the canal.<ref name=th /> The project is situated on the Narmada branch canal near Chandrasan village of Kadi taluka in [[Mehsana district]].<br />
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In addition to generating 1 MW<ref name="thNCSP1">{{cite web |last=Pandit |first=Virendra |date=12 March 2018 |title=Narmada canals can give 2,200 MW of solar power |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/narmada-canals-can-give-2200-mw-of-solar-power/article3352783.ece |website=[[Business Line]]|location=Chennai}}</ref> of clean energy the pilot project will also prevent evaporation of {{convert|9000000|litres|abbr=off|}} of water annually from the canal. The project eliminates the need to acquire vast tracts of land for installing solar panels and limits evaporation of water.<ref name=ab /> tackling two challenges simultaneously by providing energy and [[water security]].<ref name=th /><br />
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==Engineering and construction==<br />
The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the project was awarded to SunEdison at a cost of {{INRConvert|177.1|m}}. The pilot project was developed on a 750-meter stretch of the canal by [[Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited|Gujarat State Electricity Corporation]] (GSECL) with support from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. (SSNNL), which owns and maintains the canal network.<br />
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The cost per megawatt of solar power, in this case, was much less than regular solar power plants, as the two banks of the canal will be used to cover the canal by installing solar power panel and the government did not have to spend much on creating basic infrastructure, including land acquisition .<br />
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Gujarat has about {{convert|458|km|mi|abbr=on}} of open main canal, while the total canal length, including sub-branches, is about {{convert|19000|km|mi|abbr=on}} at present. When completed, the SSNNL's canal network will be about {{convert|85000|km|mi|abbr=on}} long.<br />
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Assuming a utilization of only 10% of the existing canal network of {{convert|19000|km|mi}}, it is estimated that 2,200 MW of solar power generating capacity can be installed by covering the canals with solar panels.<br />
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This also implies that {{convert|11000|acres|km2|abbr=on}} of land can be potentially conserved along with about 20 billion liters of water saved per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/state-pulls-off-rare-feat-in-reaping-sun-saving-water/940793/ |title=State pulls off rare feat in reaping Sun, saving water |publisher=ExpressIndia |access-date=24 April 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><br />
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==Praise for the project==<br />
Then Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy [[Farooq Abdullah]] praised Gujarat's Canal Solar Power Project saying,<ref name=ab>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/damodar-valley-to-replicate-gujarats-canal-top-solar-plant/474926/ |title=Damodar Valley to replicate Gujarat's canal-top solar plant|newspaper=Business Standard India |date=22 May 2012 |access-date=22 May 2012|agency=Press Trust of India }}</ref>{{cquote|Gujarat has shown the way with the commissioning of the world's first 1 MW canal-top solar power plant in Mehsana district.}}<br />
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Abdullah said [[Damodar Valley Corporation]], which has over {{convert|2000|km|mi|abbr=on}} of canals, will follow Gujarat's lead and mount solar panels that can generate up to 1,000 MW.<br />
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As a pilot the project has been successful and has caused similar projects to be started elsewhere, e.g. a 2.5&nbsp;MW installation over the Sidhwan Canal in [[Punjab]]<ref>{{cite news|title= Solar plant on Sidhwan generated ‘powerful’ success story for Ludhiana |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/solar-plant-on-sidhwan-generated-powerful-success-story-for-city/articleshow/62309758.cms |website= timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date= 2017-12-31 |access-date= 2025-08-23}}</ref> and a project to cover [[Delhi]]'s [[Munak canal]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Delhi government plans to cover Munak Canal with solar panels |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-government-plans-to-cover-munak-canal-with-solar-panels/articleshow/122281151.cms |website= timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date= 2025-07-06 |access-date= 2025-08-23}}</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
{{stack|{{Portal|India|Renewable energy}}}}<br />
* [[Electricity sector in India]]<br />
* [[Renewable energy in India]]<br />
* [[Gujarat Solar Park]]<br />
* [[Sakri PV solar energy project]]<br />
* [[Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission]]<br />
* [[Dhirubhai Ambani Solar Park]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120512222909/http://www.gujaratsolarpark.com/narendra-modi-worlds-first-canal-top-solar-plant-in-guj/ Narendra Modi world’s first canal-top solar plant in Gujarat]}}<br />
* [http://www.powerind.in/2012/04/solar-pv-project-on-narmada-canal-in.html Solar PV Project on Narmada Canal in Gujarat to be inaugurated soon by Narendra Modi]<br />
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{{SPIN}}<br />
{{coord missing|Gujarat}}<br />
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[[Category:Photovoltaic power stations in India]]<br />
[[Category:Solar power stations in Gujarat]]<br />
[[Category:2012 establishments in Gujarat]]</div>Svetlltn