Sunengy to build pilot Liquid Solar Array plant in India

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Water is not a surface that immediately springs to mind when contemplating where to install a solar array, however, this may not be the case for much longer thanks to Sunengy’s ground-breaking Liquid Solar Array (LSA) technology. Sunengy hopes to build a pilot LSA plant in India before the end of the year and has enlisted the help of India’s largest integrated private power utility, Tata Power, to help realise this goal.

LSA technology is the brainchild of Sunengy’s executive director and chief technology officer, Phil Connor, who claims its lack of a fixed supporting structure reduces costs and provides ‘on demand’ availability. The floating system utilises traditional concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology lenses, which submerge and cool in bad weather, thus increasing their efficiency and lifespan.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

When situated on, and combined with, hydroelectric dams, Connor believes LSA can more than double annual energy generation, “LSA effectively turns a dam into a very large battery, offering free solar storage and opportunity for improved water resource management. LSA needs no heavy materials or huge land acquisitions and is effectively cyclone proof. If India uses just 1% of its 30,000 square kilometers of captured water with our system, we can generate power equivalent to 15 large coal-fired power stations.”

“In our quest to deliver sustainable energy, Tata Power is consistently investing in clean and eco-friendly technologies,” said Tata’s executive director, Banmali Agrawala. “We have partnered with Sunengy, Australia for a pilot plant in India, which is concentrated photovoltaic solar technology that floats on water. This nascent technology will be demonstrated in the natural environment; it utilises the water surface for mounting and does not compete with land that can be used for other purposes.”

Although Sunengy is primarily aiming LSA at hydroelectric power clients, it is also targeting mining sites and off-grid regions. Construction of the pilot plant in India will commence in August 2011, and, if successful, Sunengy plans to establish a larger system in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia by mid-2012 before going into full-scale commercial production.

Read Next

July 29, 2025
US renewables developer Savion, a subsidiary of global oil giant Shell, has formed a new company to take ownership of its solar projects after development.
July 29, 2025
Kiwa PVEL examines the ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) results on n-type technology from its latest PV Module Reliability Scorecard.
July 29, 2025
US-based solar manufacturer T1 Energy has expressed support for the US government’s tariff investigations into global polysilicon imports and solar products from Laos, Indonesia and India.
July 29, 2025
Spanish oil major Repsol has agreed to sell 40% stake in US renewables developer Hecate Energy, settling outstanding dispute.
July 29, 2025
The Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITECO) has launched a new renewables manufacturing subsidy programme.
July 29, 2025
China's PV industry faced significant challenges, with production across the manufacturing chain growing at a slow pace, according to CPIA.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK