Government Eyes Boost for Floating Solar Projects: MNRE Secretary Outlines New Policy Initiatives

Government to Launch Dedicated Scheme for Floating Solar Projects in India

The Indian government is working on a dedicated scheme to boost the growth of floating solar projects in the country, according to MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi. Sarangi made the remarks at the 13th Foundation Day of the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) in New Delhi on Friday.

The government is actively exploring ways to overcome land constraints for deploying solar modules. As part of this effort, the ministry is planning to introduce a scheme that will encourage states to undertake larger-scale floating solar projects, which have not yet reached their full potential. Floating solar projects involve installing solar panel systems on water bodies, leveraging the cooling effect of water to improve energy efficiency compared to land-based systems.

At the same event, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik launched the NSEFI Sustainable Energy Federation of India. This new platform aims to integrate the organization's existing efforts in electricity and agriculture with new focus areas in industrial and mobility decarbonization, ultimately creating a unified platform to accelerate India's transition to a Net Zero Economy.

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According to official statistics, India's solar energy installed capacity has witnessed significant growth, increasing from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 150.26 GW in March 2026, a remarkable rise of 147.44 GW. Notably, floating solar capacity currently stands at around 700 MW.