India’s reservoirs can host 102 GW of floating solar, first national assessment finds

India could tap its reservoirs to unlock massive clean power without using land. According to the first comprehensive national assessment by the National Institute of Solar Energy, India’s reservoirs have the potential to host about 102 gigawatt of floating solar capacity. NISE, an autonomous institute under MNRE, released the 121-page report titled ‘Solar PV Potential of India (Floating Solar)’.

The assessment frames floating panels as a solution to one of solar energy’s biggest hurdles: land availability. Mounting panels on water avoids land-use conflicts and can reduce evaporation from reservoirs.

But the report stops short of calculating what it would cost India to realise this potential. It cites only a 2021 benchmark from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, noting that floating plants typically cost about 25% more upfront than ground-mounted ones due to floats, anchoring, and waterproofing.

For India, 102 GW would be a game-changer — nearly equal to the country’s entire installed solar capacity today. The next step will be bridging the cost gap and scaling projects on reservoirs nationwide.