The Centre recently announced incentives of up to ₹1 crore per MW of floating solar plants
| Photo Credit:
Venkatesan R 5375
Tata Power has partnered with Norway-based renewable energy technology company Ocean Sun to bring its innovative membrane-based floating solar technology to India. The modules will float on the membrane, rather than on floats — hopefully bringing down the cost.
The collaboration agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2nd India–EFTA Prosperity Summit, reinforcing the growing India–Norway and India–EFTA partnership in technology, innovation and clean energy.
The collaboration will see Tata Power and Ocean Sun undertake a ~300 kWp floating solar pilot at Tata Power’s Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra. The pilot will evaluate Ocean Sun’s proprietary membrane-based floating solar technology for performance, reliability, cost competitiveness and scalability under Indian conditions, while generating practical operating insights for potential future deployment, according to a press release from Tata Power.
The Centre recently announced incentives up to ₹1 crore per MW of floating solar plants, to enable the estimated potential of 102 GW to be realised.
Against this backdrop, technology pilots such as the Mulshi project can help build the technical and commercial evidence base required for wider deployment.
Unlike conventional floating solar systems that typically use interconnected pontoon structures, Ocean Sun’s technology deploys solar PV modules on a thin, hydro-elastic membrane that floats directly on the water surface. The lightweight design has the potential to simplify transportation and installation, while reducing structural requirements. The close proximity of the PV modules to the water surface may also provide a cooling effect, which could contribute to improved generation performance.
Asked if the two partners would jointly own floating solar assets, a Tata Power spokesman told businessline that Ocean Sun is primarily a technology partner for Tata Power, providing its proprietary membrane technology. “The modules and project assets will be owned by Tata Power; this is not a joint asset-ownership arrangement,” he said.
The membrane technology is being customised for Tata Power’s specific project requirements, including engineering and design. Ocean Sun has deployed the technology through a few pilot projects globally, while this will be its first deployment in India, the spokesman said.
Asked if Tata Power and Ocean Sun would jointly undertake EPC projects, he said Tata Power “will evaluate its participation based on the overall project design and economics.”
Asked about costs, he said that it was still early to give a definitive comparison. “However, one of the key objectives is to achieve a more cost-competitive solution than conventional floating solar systems, and we are hopeful that the overall project economics will compare favourably with floating systems,” he said.
Published on October 7, 2026
