Design of an On-Grid Floating Solar Photovoltaic System: A Case of Vaigai Dam in Tamil Nadu

A floating solar photovoltaic system is an emerging energy technology that overcomes land constraints in large-scale photovoltaic installations. This study designed an on-grid floating solar photovoltaic system for the Vaigai dam in Tamil Nadu's Theni district. A 22 MW floating solar photovoltaic plant was designed with 90,045 300Wp polycrystalline solar panels and nine 2500 kW inverters. As a result of the simulation, the plant's annual energy generation was calculated to be 48.3 GWh, and its performance ratio was estimated to be 83.05%. The results indicated that the total potential CO2 saving of the plant is 0.953 megatons. The study determined that the project has a low environmental impact and provides clean energy to support the district's energy needs. According to the results, floating solar photovoltaic systems can reduce water evaporation, generate clean and reliable energy, and significantly reduce land costs.