Tata Power partners Norway's Ocean Sun for floating solar tech

Tata Power, on Wednesday said it has partnered with Norway-based renewable energy technology company Ocean Sun to bring its innovative membrane-based floating solar technology to India.

The collaboration agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2nd India–EFTA Prosperity Summit, reinforcing the growing India–Norway and India–EFTA partnership in technology, innovation and clean energy, the company said.

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The collaboration will see Tata Power and Ocean Sun undertake a 300 kWp floating solar pilot at Tata Power’s Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra. The pilot will evaluate Ocean Sun’s proprietary membrane-based floating solar technology for performance, reliability, cost competitiveness and scalability under Indian conditions, while generating practical operating insights for potential future deployment.

According to estimates by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), India has more than 102 GWp of floating solar potential, providing a substantial opportunity for the technology to complement ground-mounted and rooftop solar as India scales its renewable energy ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, technology pilots such as the Mulshi project can help build the technical and commercial evidence base required for wider deployment, the company said.

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The 300 kWp pilot will enable Tata Power to evaluate Ocean Sun’s technology against conventional floating solar solutions across key parameters, including energy generation, capacity utilisation factor (CUF), installation methodology and time, reliability, operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements, capital cost and overall commercial viability.

Unlike conventional floating solar systems that typically use interconnected pontoon structures, Ocean Sun’s technology deploys solar PV modules on a thin, hydro-elastic membrane that floats directly on the water surface, the company said.

Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO&MD Tata Power, said: “Through this floating solar pilot, we aim to generate valuable operating insights and assess its potential to deliver reliable, scalable and cost-effective clean power solutions.”

The lightweight design has the potential to simplify transportation and installation while reducing structural requirements. The close proximity of the PV modules to the water surface may also provide a cooling effect, which could contribute to improved generation performance.