Floating solar plants – Exploring a new dimension of energy generation: A case study

ABSTRACT

In this article, the realm of floating solar plants, an advanced approach in the renewable energy domain has been presented. It deals with the optimal location of an efficient floating solar plant in the Indian subcontinent and is one of the first such works to be conducted in the South-Asian region. The presented analysis gives an integrated Fuzzy-based proposal, the prototype of which considers environmental, especially climatic conditions like a variation in irradiation, clearness, temperature, and humidity of the regions within examination to give a hierarchy of their suitability toward the construction of a floating solar plant. A Fuzzy- Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) based approach is used to formulate the evaluation process. The study is conducted by taking a case in the subcontinent of India, taking into consideration the five largest dams within the country that are further subjected to an analysis pivoting around 12 local factors. The results have been robustly validated by implementing additional Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. Based on the obtained results, the authors have also created a proforma of suggestions for the decision-makers worldwide, especially in the energy domain, thus giving this work significance both in theoretical and practical aspects. The work adjudges the five largest reservoirs in India based on 12 criteria using a Fuzzy-TOPSIS approach to find their suitability toward the construction of a floating solar plant. After the study, the Bhakhra Nangal Dam Reservoir emerged to be the most suitable water body for the construction of a floating solar plant in India. The findings can thus be used as a foundation to revolutionize the green energy sector.

KEYWORDS:

• Floating solar
• decision making
• fuzzy set theory
• renewable energy sources
• MCDM

Nomenclature

Table

Highlights

1. Floating solar plants – an emerging domain for renewable energy implementation has been explored.

2. A hybrid AI (Artificial Intelligence)-MCDM blend methodology model is developed to adjudge reservoirs in India for establishing a floating solar plant.

3. Twelve related multidimensional criteria have been taken up for the analysis.

4. The model is validated by the Fuzzy-COPRAS method and results verified using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.

acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the library resources provided by Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, their parent institution for carrying out this research work, and also the authorities of the various data sources from which the data for the study have been taken. They also thank the team of experts who had been immensely helpful and cooperative through the course of this work.

Disclosure statement

This work is solely carried out by the authors independently and has received no funding from any private or government body whatsoever.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dipanjan Ghose

Dipanjan Ghose is affiliated to Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin. He has been associated with several research activities especially in the domain of renewable energy and has co-authored many journal papers on the same as well. He has also presented his works in research conferences of both national and international stature.

Sudeep Pradhan

Sudeep Pradhan is affiliated to COTIVITI, as a vendor data analyst. He has been associated with several research activities in the college especially in the domain of renewable energy and has co-authored several journal papers on the same as well. He has also presented his works in research conferences of both national and international stature.

Shabbiruddin

Shabbiruddin received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University, India in 2009. He has received his Master of Technology degree in Power Electronics from Sikkim Manipal University, India in 2011. He was awarded Ph.D. from Sikkim Manipal University, India in 2017. He is presently working as Assistant Professor (SG) in Electrical & Electronics Engineering department at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Sikkim, India. He has published several research articles and conference proceedings of both national and international stature.