Ciel & Terre Installs India’s Largest Floating Solar Plant in Tamil Nadu

Ciel & Terre has successfully completed the engineering, float supply, supervision of a 14.7 MW floating solar plant for SPIC in Tamil Nadu

Ciel & Terre India, a subsidiary of Ciel & Terre International, a global leader in floating solar, has successfully completed the plant engineering, float supply, supervision of the 14.7 MWp floating solar power plant at Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation (SPIC) Limited, in its water storage pond in Thoothukudi in the state of Tamil Nadu. 

Hydrelio patent Equato floats, which were locally manufactured under the “Make in India” campaign were used to mount 37,632 photovoltaic panels with 390 Wp capacity, over an area of 15.6 hectares. This plant will produce competitive electricity and avoid more than 18686 tons of CO2 emissions – the company claims.

C&T India Managing Director, Deepak Ushadevi said “a captive project like this will benefit the industry from a competitive price compared to the grid and we can replicate the same model on other industrial reservoirs such as steel, thermal, fertilisers, cement, chemical, etc. Since we have high valued investors to finance similar projects, industries should utilise such benefits. 

“Over the years, Ciel & Terre has gained vast expertise and strong experience in the installation of large-scale floating PV plants on artificial and freshwater reservoirs, our team has a thorough understanding of floating PV’s challenges and accordingly assisted our SPIC customer in the realisation of the biggest floating plant in this country despite the covid-19 pandemic challenges, this demonstrated our valued commitment and capabilities.”

In 2019, the firm had commissioned its first pilot 452 kWp project at CIAL Cochin, followed by the second project 5.4 MWp at Sagardighi thermal power plant, West Bengal last year being the biggest grid-connected floating plant in India, presently. Currently, C&T India is executing the mega floating project to the size of 75 MWp in South India and is expected to commission by October 2021, the Hydrelio floats are being produced from 150 MWp/year production capacity factory by the firm in Kerala. 

C&T India Chairman, Stephane Provoust said “we are fully devoted to floating PV and our track record makes the company become the most experienced group in ‘Floating PV’, especially thanks to ‘all-in-one’ solutions and high quality of services.” 

Earlier this year the firm had launched its global R&D center in Bangalore for innovative engineering and new product development activities.