CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -A pilot 750m stretch in Gujarat in 2014 led to the first large-scale canal-top solar power plant in the Vadodara district of Gujarat in 2015, at a cost of $18.3 million.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Canal Solar Power Project is a solar canal project launched in Gujarat, India, to use the 532 km (331 mi) long network of Narmada canals across the state for setting up solar panels to generate electricity. It was the first ever such project in India.

Detailed explanation-3: -Due to extensive use of land in the state for agriculture purpose, the Canal Top Solar Plants provide an alternative to add pollution free solar generation capacity since it utilizes the vacant space over the canals and no land cost is involved.

Detailed explanation-4: -Modhera in the state of Gujarat has become the first solar-powered village in India, setting a precedent for what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called a “reconciliation between humankind and planet, ” reported Euronews.

Detailed explanation-5: -PV installations on canals are common in India, as they provide electricity without occupying land, while reducing evaporation. However, they are still more expensive than ground-mounted PV projects.