India’s vast canal network offers a land-free path to solar power

AI Summary

India is promoting canal-top solar photovoltaic systems as a land-efficient way to expand renewable energy. Punjab's 20 MW installation on canals is reported to save nearly 100 acres of land compared to traditional solar farms.

Similar to floating solar, the biggest advantage of canal-top photovoltaics is that they require virtually no additional land, especially as land acquisition for large-scale solar is also becoming increasingly more expensive; in Punjab, the installation of 20 MW of canal-top systems is estimated to have saved nearly 100 acres of land