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					</table>Floating solar could play a crucial role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations&#8217; (<a href="https://asean.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN</a>) regional target of 35% renewable energy in the installed power capacity by 2025, according to a report published by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (<a href="https://www.nrel.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NREL</a>).
The report identified 7,301 water bodies —88 reservoirs and 7,213 natural water bodies — as potentially suitable for floating solar deployment in Southeast Asia.
Overall, the floating solar potential ranges from 134–278 GW on reservoirs and 343–768 GW on natural water bodies.
<a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-56092 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS1.png" alt="FS1" width="602" height="378" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS1.png 602w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS1-300x188.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS1-600x377.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px" /></a>
The report states that the potential for floating solar installations is more significant on reservoirs in Laos and Malaysia.
At the same time, it is higher on natural water bodies in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
In Vietnam, the potential remains relatively consistent regardless of the type of water body.
<a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-56094 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS2.png" alt="FS2" width="602" height="378" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS2.png 602w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS2-300x188.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FS2-600x377.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px" /></a>
Brunei
Brunei, which relies heavily on natural gas (78%) and coal (21%) for its electricity generation,  aims to generate 30% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035. Unlike its neighboring Southeast Asian countries, Brunei lacks the installed capacity and significant potential for hydropower, which limits its ability to integrate floating solar with existing hydropower infrastructure.
According to the report, Brunei has no technical potential for floating solar on artificial reservoirs. However, the assessment identified 18 natural water bodies that show promise for future floating solar projects.
The potential capacity for floating solar on these water bodies ranges from 137 to 669 MW, depending on the assumptions made about the distance from the shore.
Cambodia 
Cambodia has set a target for its installed capacity mix by 2030, aiming for 55% hydropower, 6.5% biomass, and 3.5% solar, while fossil fuels are expected to make up for the remaining 35%.
Currently, hydropower is the primary source of electricity, accounting for approximately 45% of the total generation as of 2020.
Estimates suggest Cambodia has a floating solar potential of 15-29 GW on reservoirs and 22-46 GW on natural water bodies.
Indonesia
With an abundance of renewable resources and an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, Indonesia&#8217;s power generation mix currently relies heavily on coal (60%), followed by natural gas (18%), renewables such as hydropower, geothermal, and biofuels (17%), and oil (3%).
Although Indonesia possesses substantial wind and solar resources, these technologies have not yet been widely deployed.
PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara, the state-owned utility in Indonesia, plans to add approximately 21 GW of renewable energy capacity between 2021 and 2030, accounting for slightly over half of the new capacity additions. Hydropower is expected to contribute 4.9 GW within this planned capacity, while solar power is projected to contribute 2.5 GW.
According to the report, a total of 1,858 water bodies (including 19 reservoirs and 1,839 natural water bodies) were identified as potentially suitable for floating solar projects. The technical potential estimates indicate a broad range of floating solar capacity, spanning from 170 to 364 GW.
Laos
By 2025, Laos aims to achieve 30% of its total energy consumption from renewable sources.
According to the report, unlike most other ASEAN countries, Laos exhibits a higher potential for floating solar installations on reservoirs than natural water bodies. This is likely due to the country&#8217;s significant domestic hydropower resources.
Considering the three reservoirs assessed in the report, Laos has an estimated floating solar potential of 5-10 GW. For natural water bodies, Laos possesses an estimated floating solar potential of around 2-5 GW.
Combined with the potential on reservoirs, this amounts to a substantial range of 9-15 GW. However, after applying a transmission filter that excludes water bodies more than 25 km away from the nearest transmission line, the potential remains the same for reservoirs while decreasing by approximately 8.4-10.1% for natural water bodies, depending on the assumptions made about the distance from the shore.
Malaysia
By 2030, Malaysia has plans to increase its renewable energy capacity to 4 GW. Additionally, the country has set a target of achieving 31% of its installed electricity generation capacity from renewable sources by 2025.
Like Laos, Malaysia demonstrates a higher potential for floating solar installations on reservoirs, estimated to be within the range of 23-54 GW, compared to natural water bodies, which have a potential of 13-30 GW. As of 2021, Malaysia&#8217;s total installed electricity generation capacity was 39 GW.
A separate study conducted on six specific locations in Malaysia indicated that floating solar projects could generate approximately 14.5 GWh/year.
The report expands on that finding by considering all feasible water bodies in the country, suggesting that floating solar projects have the potential to generate an estimate of 47-109 GWh/year.
Myanmar
By 2025, Myanmar aims to achieve a target of 20% of installed electricity generation capacity from renewable sources. According to Myanmar&#8217;s 2015 Energy Master Plan, the goal is to increase the contribution of hydropower from 50% of electricity generation in 2021 to 57% by 2030.
The report indicates that Myanmar&#8217;s floating solar potential on reservoirs is comparatively lower, ranging from 18 to 35 GW. In comparison, the potential on natural water bodies is estimated to be within the range of 21 to 47 GW. When combined, this potential capacity exceeds Myanmar&#8217;s total electricity generation capacity, which stood at approximately 7.6 GW as of 2021.
After applying a transmission filter that excludes water bodies located further than 25 km from the nearest transmission line, the potential capacity experiences a decrease of 1.7-2.1% for reservoirs and a decrease of 9.7-16.2% for natural water bodies, depending on the distance assumptions made from the shore.
Philippines
The Philippines has set several priorities in the electricity sector, including meeting the growing electricity demand, achieving universal electricity access by 2022, and installing 15 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
In 2019, the Philippines successfully launched its first floating solar project, and subsequent construction on other projects commenced in the following years. The potential assessment reveals a significantly higher capacity range for floating solar installations on natural water bodies, estimated to be within the range of 42-103 GW, compared to reservoirs, which have a potential capacity of 2-5 GW.
When applying a transmission filter that excludes water bodies located further than 25 km from the nearest transmission line, the technical potential capacity remains unchanged for reservoirs. At the same time, it decreases by approximately 1.7 to 5.2% for natural water bodies.
Singapore
Singapore has outlined renewable energy goals that involve installing 2 GW of solar capacity by 2030 and meeting 30% of its energy needs through low-carbon electricity imports by 2035.
The report identifies one reservoir and six natural water bodies in Singapore, with the technical potential ranging from 67-153 MW on the reservoir and 206-381 MW on the natural water bodies. These figures are in comparison to the country&#8217;s total installed electricity generation capacity of 12 GW as of 2021.
Singapore shows significant interest in offshore and nearshore floating solar projects, and in that regard, the nation has constructed a 5-MW floating solar project off its coast.
Thailand
Thailand is planning to build over 2.7 GW of floating solar projects on nine different reservoirs by 2037. The report suggests a significant floating solar potential of 33–65 GW on reservoirs and 68–152 GW on natural waterbodies, compared to a total installed electricity generation capacity of 55 GW in 2021.
When the transmission filter is applied (excluding water bodies further than 25 km from the nearest transmission line), the potential capacity decreases by 1.8–2.5% for reservoirs and decreases by 3.9-5.9% for natural water bodies.
Vietnam
Vietnam has set an ambitious goal to deploy 31-38 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2030, aligning with its broader objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Given Vietnam&#8217;s substantial reliance on hydropower, the country presents a favorable environment for both standalone and hybrid floating solar projects. Among the Southeast Asian nations, Vietnam boasts the highest number of reservoirs suitable for floating solar installations, totaling 22. These reservoirs hold an estimated floating solar potential of approximately 21-46 GW.
Similarly, the technical potential for floating solar on natural water bodies in Vietnam falls within the range of 21-54 GW.
Upon applying a transmission filter that excludes water bodies situated further than 25 km from the nearest transmission line, the technical potential capacity remains unchanged for reservoirs while experiencing a decrease of less than 0.5% for natural water bodies.
In May this year, Blueleaf Energy and SunAsia Energy were <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/philippines-610-mw-floating-solar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">awarded</a> contracts by the Philippine government to construct and manage what is claimed to be the world&#8217;s largest floating solar project with a combined capacity of 610.5 MW.
According to an earlier report by NREL, the addition of floating solar projects on the top of water bodies, which already have hydropower stations, can annually <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/floating-solar-hydropower-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">generate</a> around 7.6 TW of clean energy from the solar photovoltaic systems alone.

Floating Solar a Viable Option for Southeast Asia to Meet Energy Transition Targets

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					</table>To achieve India&#8217;s national targets for solar capacity additions, alternatives such as the floating solar need to be explored and established, considering their lower levelized cost of electricity and operation and maintenance costs, which is further complemented by easier deployment, Deepak Ushadevi &#8211; MD &amp; CEO &#8211; <a href="https://ciel-et-terre.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ciel &amp; Terre India</a>, said in an interview on the sidelines of the <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-urgency-meet-clean-energy-transition-targets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom India Renewables Summit 2023</a>.
Here are excerpts from the interview.
What is the driving factor for adopting floating solar solutions?
Traditional roof and ground mount utility projects face land scarcity issues, leading to wind and floating solar as new alternatives that reduce carbon footprint and offer solutions.
The challenge is to preserve land and minimize delays in acquiring it for organizations and infrastructure development. So, we need to explore new solutions, including tapping into the potential of floating solar in inland water bodies.
It allows us to install solar panels over water, preserving land and water while being an excellent alternative replacement for traditional solar panels from social, economic, and biological perspectives.
The extra 5-7% generation from floating solar due to panel cooling also reduces the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE).
In India, many dams and reservoirs have great potential for floating solar. In recent years, the maximum capacity of floating solar projects has increased from 2 MW to 500 MW.
Currently, 2 GW of floating solar tenders are already auctioned, and we expect to see 2-3 GW of floating projects in India in the next 2-3 years.
Globally, in the next three years, over 77% of the floating projects, equivalent to around 11.50 GW, will occur in Asia, particularly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
How do companies identify states with inland water bodies suitable for floating solar projects? 
We do not face any issues with water bodies in India. According to data, we have 5,534 available dams and reservoirs.
Even if we use only 40% to 50% of them, we can generate over 200 GW of power from these projects. In addition, we have backwaters and both manual and non-manual reservoirs, providing us with plenty of options. We can optimize capacity utilization by considering dams and reservoirs for floating solar and natural hydropower.
The existing infrastructure for dams with power infrastructure available eliminates the need for additional power infrastructures.
We can use the dams and reservoirs as they are, and there is no need for road filling, approach ways, or other ground modes.
A hybrid model combining floating solar and natural hydropower can be used, where floating solar can be used during the day and hydropower at night. This way, we consider both sources and use optimized operational ways to complement each other.
What are the cost savings and efficiency gains with floating solar projects?
Looking at it from a cross-functional perspective, ground-mounted solar structures require the use of purlins and rafters, along with piling work.
On the other hand, we need to use anchoring, mooring, and hearing anchors for floating solar projects to withstand high winds, depths, waves, currents, water level variations, droughts, floods, and more.
It is the most expensive part of the project. However, we also get extra generation capacity over 25 years, which offsets the additional cost.
As a company with a globally recognized portfolio of over 300 projects completed in 32 countries across five continents, with a 1.7 GW portfolio, we are experts in the field.
Delay in land acquisition is a major issue nowadays, but the government owns water bodies, so there are no issues related to land acquisition.
In addition, we use only 4 to 5% of the water reserves, minimizing any impact. We also conduct detailed studies to ensure that flora and fauna are unaffected and fishermen&#8217;s activities are not hindered. Fish breeding is more effective under the cooling effects of floating solar structures.
Which states are at the forefront of exploring floating solar solutions?
RUMSL, a part of the Madhya Pradesh government, has awarded a 600 MW project. Phase one is in Omkareshwar.
Odisha and Kerala have also tendered 2-3 projects each. NTPC has put forward more than 300 projects, including a 1 GW project in Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
Initially, there were questions, apprehensions, and teething issues regarding who will take care of the first project.
However, the project has started, more tenders are being issued, and stakeholders feel confident that this is a viable alternative.
Most state governments are asking us about the feasibility and possibility of the project, with some already in the tendering stage.
Could you tell us about the average cost of power for floating solar projects?
The average power cost is around ₹3.15 (~$0.038)/kWh &#8211; ₹3.3 (~$0.040)/kWh, which is the PPA (power purchase agreement) signing-off rate.
However, some variations may be based on the availability of modules, BCD (Basic Customs Duty), ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers), and other factors that affect transactions and cause minor delays.
The cost difference between ground-mounted and floating structures is only 7 to 10%, with the latter being slightly more expensive due to its technology. However, over time, the cost difference will be offset by savings in operation and maintenance costs.
Currently, the availability of modules is a major concern, with more than 60% of them being imported and the BOS part accounting for around 75 to 80% of the overall cost. However, even with these factors, the power cost of ₹3.15 (~$0.038)/ kWh is still considered reasonable by many states.
Additionally, selling excess energy at a rate of ₹5 (~$0.061)/kWh can help offset the cost of power bought at a lower rate. Over the years, the power cost has decreased from around ₹4 (~$0.049)/kWh to the current rate.
(Note: Sections of the interview have been paraphrased for better reading. Check out the video for a full chat)<iframe loading="lazy" title="Deepak Ushadevi" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/827633004?h=64ae6e176b&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" width="100%" height="500" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Higher Generation and Lower Landed Cost Make Floating Solar Appealing: Interview

The state of Maharashtra will soon have four floating solar power projects at four of its dams. The announcement was made by the <a href="https://wrd.maharashtra.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maharashtra Water Resources</a> Minister, Girish Mahajan, during the Legislative Council meeting held recently.
According to news agency PTI, Mahajan has said that the backwaters of Wardha, Bebala, Khadakpurna, and Pentakli dams have been selected for setting up the floating solar panels as per the Swiss Challenge method, under which the government publishes the first detailed proposal regarding a project and asks others to add to the initial proposal. Then, the final counterproposal is presented to the first bidder, who is asked to accept it. If the first bidder doesn’t accept it, the chosen counterproposal wins.
Recently, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) had also received a proposal from the National Thermal Power Corporation (<a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-enlist-epc-for-floating-and-other-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTPC</a>) for endorsing it to its member countries for the development of solar projects under the ISA’s Swiss Challenge method.
Mahajan said that the estimated investment per megawatt is slated to be ₹4.45 million (~$6.42 million) with a total installed capacity of 500 MW.
A committee headed by the executive director of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) is currently scrutinizing the detailed project report and drafting the tenders, the minister added in his reply to the state legislative assembly.
Floating solar PV tenders are on the rise not only in India, but in other countries like <a href="https://mercomindia.com/dubai-rfp-consultants-floating-solar/">Dubai</a> which issued a request for proposal (RfP) for appointing consultants to study, develop, and construct floating solar photovoltaic projects in the Arabian Gulf. The <a href="https://mercomindia.com/sri-lanka-to-construct-100-mw-floating-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sri Lankan</a> government also recently approved a project for constructing 100 MW of floating solar power projects in Maduru Oya reservoir in Mahaweli Economic Zone.
In India, floating solar has gained attention mainly due to the availability of a large number of dams, lakes, and reservoirs where such projects can be easily installed given the increasing difficulty in <a href="https://mercomindia.com/land-impediment-large-scale-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">acquiring land</a> for the development of large-scale projects.
Earlier, Mercom reported that the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (<a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-rfs-floating-solar-tariff/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MSEDCL</a>) issued a request for selection for the purchase of power from 1,000 MW of grid-connected floating solar PV power projects on <a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-study-floating-solar-ujani-dam/">Ujjani dam</a> in Solapur district. Before floating this tender, the government of Maharashtra <a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-study-floating-solar-ujani-dam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">had set up a committee</a> to examine the issues related to the development of a floating solar power project at the Ujani dam.
Image credit: Raniero francesetti [CC BY-SA <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4.0</a>]

Four of Maharashtra’s Dams to Soon Get Floating Solar Projects

The Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (<a href="http://seci.co.in/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SECI</a>) has issued a tender for utilization of water bodies (reservoirs, dams, lakes) in Tamil Nadu for development of 250 MW floating solar PV capacity.
The detailed Request for Selection (RfS) will be available for downloading by March 29, 2019.
As implementing agencies and developers both grapple with the issue of land availability, floating solar PV tenders are on the rise as India has a large number of reservoirs, lakes, dams where floating solar PV could be deployed.
On the first day of <a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-3-solar-tenders-1-4-gw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">March 2019</a>, SECI had issued a tender for setting up 150 MW of floating solar PV projects in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Out of 150 MW, 100 MW floating solar power project was to be developed at the reservoir of Getalsud Dam and 50 MW floating solar power project, at the reservoir at Dhurwa Dam.
On <a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-3-solar-tenders-1-4-gw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">March 1, 2019</a>, SECI also issued another lot of tenders. The tenders were for setting up 750 MW of grid-connected solar PV power projects in Rajasthan (Tranche-II Non-Solar Park), for 500 MW of grid-connected solar power projects in Tamil Nadu (Phase-1, Non-Solar Park).
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-floating-solar-lakshadweep-bess/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">In February 2019</a>, SECI issued a tender for 20 MW of floating solar PV projects with 60 MW Battery Energy Storage System on a turnkey basis in the union territory of Lakshadweep.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-15-mw-floating-solar-tender-himachal-pradesh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">In January 2019</a>, National Thermal Power Corporation (<a href="https://www.ntpc.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTPC</a>) invited bids for a 15 MW of grid-connected floating solar project at its Koldam hydroelectric power project (HEPP), located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-floating-solar-tender-20-mw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The same month</a>, NTPC also invited bids for a 20 MW grid-connected floating solar PV project at its Anta gas power station in Rajasthan.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-tender-solar-hybrid-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Towards the end of February 2019</a>, the sector witnessed a bouquet of tenders issued by SECI. SECI issued a lot of three tenders- one for 1,200 MW of ISTS-connected solar power projects (tranche-IV), one for 1,200 MW ISTS-connected solar-wind hybrid power projects (tranche-II), and one for the 1,200 MW ISTS-connected solar power projects with 3,600 MWh storage (ISTS-V).

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