Que: Ciel & Terre entered India in 2018 at a time when the country started scripting its solar growth story. When you look behind, how do you see the company’s growth journey in India in a short span of time?

Ans: Ciel et Terre entered India in 2018 when floating solar was an entirely new and unique subject to the solar sector. There were few who were familiar with the technology and anchoring the concept into the minds of the players was a task, but we were able to achieve that easily as we had an extraordinarily strong technology and testimonial globally. Ciel et Terre now has over 1.3GW capacity of installed floating solar with 290+ projects in 32 countries.

Over the last 3 years, we have been able to bag 94+ MWp (megawatt peak) projects under our portfolio in India.

We have met several challenges over these couple of years from implementing the concept amidst the mass to Covid related challenges. Yet, if we are running successfully, it’s all thanks to the innovation, technology and of course the team’s ownership.

Que: The Group’s activity is fully integrated, including technical innovation, manufacturing, project development, and design. Please explain how it makes a difference to any PV project development lifecycle, as compared to sourcing from multiple stakeho

Ans: Unlike conventional solar, floating solar itself is a new concept and requires a lot of R&D to be done to make any project successful. Each project is unique, and it cannot be replicated. A proper, detailed survey of the project location is needed to obtain the bathymetry, SPT, wave and current resistance, and wind speed. By providing a fully integrated FPV solution, we make it easier for the developer to implement the project without any hassle. We are not just FPV manufacturers, but rather FPV technology innovators and implementers.

Que: How do you see the scope for floating solar in India? Do you find any challenges as well while working here?

Ans: India is currently witnessing a growing energy need, with the scarcity of land, legal issues in land acquisitions, disputes, infinite acquisition delays, etc. With all this, ground/roof mount solar are becoming a challenge. India will be one of the biggest markets for floating solar and hence we are investing in new assets to provide our innovation on large scale. The government has also set an ambition of adding 10 GW of floating solar by the year 2022.

The industry is grasping the advantages of the technology as it is influencing the environmental, economic and social section better than other renewable energy segments.

Environmental benefits: Minimizes water evaporation (water & ecosystems conservation), Improves water quality and reduces algal bloom, Make PV possible when there is a lack of space.

Economic benefits: Converts unused spaces into profitable areas, enhances electricity generation (thanks to the cooling effect), Reduces grid-connection costs and major infrastructures investments.

Social benefits: Preserves valuable lands for other uses, Rehabilitates contaminated areas with clean energy, Compatible with recreational activities, Environmental convenience, positive aesthetics.

The primary challenge is that the floating solar projects must be sustainable for 25 years. Unlike ground mount, floating solar must Keep the fundamental techniques intact.

Quality is paramount to protect the asset for 25 years at least. Ciel et Terre collaborates with many leading expertise for wind resistance, Wave and current resistance, mechanical resistance, floatability, UV resistance, Drinking water compliance, Temperature resistance. Ciel et Terre certifications are received from accredited world-class laboratories. Ciel et Terre international has collaboration with Principia, a leading offshore player to implement & integrate wind and wave design with cost-effective solutions.

Ciel et Terre Solutions are verified by Bureau Veritas for the floating structure standards, compliance & good engineering practices.

Que: How much aggregate capacity of floating projects Ciel & Terre installed in India as of now? And any projects in the pipeline as well?

Ans: We have

• 452 KWp pilot floating project in CIAL Cochin, Kerala - Commissioned in October 2019.

• 5.4 MWp floating project for WBPDCL, Sagardighi, Murshidabad, West Bengal –Commissioned by October 2020.

• 14.8 MWp floating project for SPIC, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu - Installation completed, commissioning by November 2021.

• 75 MWp project in South India, installation completion by December 2021.

Que: Are there any specific requirements to be fulfilled before installing a floating solar project, as compared to a ground-mounted or a rooftop solar project?

Ans: Each site should have distinctive designs depending on the topography of the area. The variation in the water level and the undercurrent of the water also pose challenges, especially when it comes to anchoring and moving the floating platforms. A proper study of the topography, good knowledge of engineering techniques, and bathymetric study would be able to solve some of the problems faced by the developers. Site visit before design and site surveys to undergo the bathymetry, soil composition analysis should be done foremost.

As the pioneers in floating solar, we have developed general guidelines and BKM based on our decade-long expertise in floating solar projects.

Que: Being a veteran in the sector, what will be your key suggestions for the policymakers to provide a boost for the solar energy sector in India?

Ans: The Indian government has set an ambitious target of 10 GW floating solar installation by the year 2022. In that perspective, we should be able to achieve 1 GW positively by 2022 with our Hydrelio® technology. From a government support perspective, we look forward to a more stable policy regime from both Central and State Governments wherein incentives for renewable energy are clearly defined and disbursed. States need to ensure that developers are not troubled each time there is a change in government.

The central government needs to act as guarantor for all power projects which are underwritten with State Discoms. This will ensure that even if the state defaults, the Central government can step in. Consider renewable energy lending as a separate book and not to club with overall energy sector exposure (as a significant part of lending by Banks/NBFCs is for thermal/hydro and non-renewable energy-based companies). While selecting the floating technology, these aspects should look for: Proven solutions, Quality driven solutions, good international standards to be incorporated for floating solar projects.

Que: How much is the cost difference in installing a floating solar plant Vs a ground-mounted PV plant?

Ans: We are bridging the gap between floating and ground mount to an extent - reducing under 10% now. It may again vary depending on the project site and the complexities it comes with. But taking the energy generation into the picture, floating solar produces better energy due to the lower temperature around them. Lower the temperature around the panels, higher the energy generation.

In R&D and trials, we see a 12-15% increased generation when compared to ground mount. However, we can conservatively say a 4-7% increase in energy generation depending on site-specific conditions. This extra generation will negate the delta difference between the Capex cost.

Que: Does Ciel & Terre India have any future investment or expansion plans in the next 2-3 years?

Ans: We consider India will be the biggest market for floating solar worldwide and therefore we are investing in new assets to provide our latest designs on a large scale. We believe the floating solution will be one of the main enablers for the PV sector. Our manufacturing unit in Kerala is contributing to the ‘Make in India, Made in India’ mission.

We have 5 Manufacturing lines in India at present with a production capacity of 300 MWp annually. Recently, we started our international Global R&D centre in India to support worldwide projects, and R&D lab for all internal test validations, which provides us more technical robustness in terms of optimal technology, standards, testing, and quality control. We are aiming to complete a minimum 2GWp installation with our Hydrelio® technology by 2023.