India’s largest floating solar project has been successfully completed, at Kayamkulam, Kerala under the collaborative efforts of Jef Techno Solutions Pvt. Ltd.,, and, Tata Power Solar Systems. The project was commissioned by the government under the aegis of NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation). This massive 70 MW solar power plant floats across the iconic backwaters of Kerala, and spans a cumulative of 350 acres. The project began in late 2019 and was completed by the end of June 2022.
The floating solar panels are anchored to the water bed using 134 cast pile foundations that are bored to a depth of 20 meters underwater to support the Central Monitoring and Control Stations (CMCS) and the 33/220 kilovolts switchyard. JEF scope includes complete design & detailed engineering, supply of all materials, Installation, and Testing of Earthing & LPS Systems.
The project progressed steadily amidst the pandemic with COVID-appropriate practices. There were several other geographical and technical challenges in the deployment of the project. Changing tides, high winds, severe salinity, variable depths of water and unsuitable weather conditions to name a few. We made custom barges to enable smooth transportation and installation of heavy materials like concrete earthing blocks weighing 500kg.
Designing an Earthing and LPS system for a water-based structure was a challenge. We had to ensure that electricity flowed directly to the grounding systems located at the waterbed and that none dissipated into the water ecosystem. This required one-of-a-kind specially designed systems.
Prashanth BG, Managing Director of JEF Group of Companies, said, “A floating solar plant of this scale has been a remarkable feat, not just for those involved in the project but also for the State of Kerala and the country. It is an innovative leap toward the sustainable production of green energy”.
JEF Techno has been a pioneer in the lightning protection and earthing space for over two and a half decades. Such projects give us great pride as it helps showcase India’s technical prowess and ingenuity.
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