Ciel & Terre completes 120 MWp floating solar array with new anchoring tech

Ciel & Terre has completed a 120 MWp floating solar project in India, introducing several company firsts in engineering and design, including rock bolt anchoring and a reinforced fiberglass inverter barge. The system also marks the French PV specialist’s first use of spin welding in its floating platform assembly.

From pv magazine India

Ciel & Terre, a France-based floating PV solutions supplier, has announced the completion of a 120 MWp floating solar array at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh – its largest project in India. It developed the project in collaboration with L&T and SJVN Green Energy Ltd. to generate power for Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd. (RUMSL).

The floating solar plant, built on the freshwater reservoir of Omkareshwar Dam, spans 20% (210 acres) of the total 1060-acre water surface. It is expected to help offset more than 1,13,406 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

The installation features 407,699 Hydrelio floats (aiR OPTIM 1400-3 model) in a three-row setup. The plant comprises 14 individual islands, each with a capacity of 8.5 MWp.

Ciel & Terre used its newly developed “rock bolt anchoring” technique to handle the hard rock surface. It also deployed a customized floating inverter barge based on reinforced fiberglass polymer.

“The fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) barge is approved for deployment on rivers and lakes and can carry over 40 tons, which is ideal for power transformers, inverters and switchgears,” said Ciel & Terre. “It offers a 50% higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel while being 30% lighter and costing less.”

The floating system is built using spin welding to ensure leak-proof joints. The technology accommodates the thermal expansion of floats during high temperatures to prevent water ingress and cracks in the float.

“Various challenges were faced during this project, such as torrential rain, floods, moderate winds to gusty winds, waves and weathered rock surfaces,” said Deepak Ushadevi, Ciel Et Terre India’s managing director and chief executive officer. “We found solutions, adjusted and conserved each time. This experience not only strengthened our team but also enhanced our ability to deliver bigger and complex projects with even greater efficiency and bold innovations.”

Ciel & Terre has completed more than 10 projects in India with cumulative capacity of 425+ MWp. Globally, it has commissioned more than 325 projects in over 30 countries with 3.2 GWp of cumulative installed capacity and other projects under various stages of development.