Guwahati, Nov 23: A start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) has pioneered a floating solar technology in India: an innovative way to harness solar energy and conserve water bodies.
Incubated at IIT Guwahati – Technology Incubation Centre (IITG-TIC), Quant Solar Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a leading clean-tech start-up has made significant strides in the field of renewable energy.
Floating solar plants are gaining prominence as the third pillar of solar installations, complementing the well-established domains of rooftop solar and ground mounted solar. Such plants are installed on water bodies such as dams, reservoirs where they can restrict evaporation loss up to 70 percent.
Speaking about the startup, co-founder and director of Quant Solar Technologies, Pankaj Kumar, emphasised the transformative impact, stating, “Our innovative start-up isn’t just about clean energy but also about conserving water by containing evaporation; saving precious land for better utility, improved power generation owing to cooling effects of water, improving aquatic life and many more.”
“This is a monumental leap towards environmental sustainability. With thousands of reservoirs and big water bodies spread across the country, the potential is enormous and the opportunity to make an impact is incredible,” Kumar said.
Through its ground-breaking technology and innovation, the start-up has strategically aligned itself with global leaders, joining the prestigious consortium led by DNV in the Netherlands.
Speaking about Quant Solar, Prof. Senthilmurugan Subbiah, chairperson of the IIT Guwahati – Technology Incubation Centre (IITG- TIC) said “Quant Solar isn’t just an emerging start-up. It is making significant contributions to environmental sustainability. The success of start-ups incubated at IITG-TIC is fuelled by IIT Guwahati’s unparalleled expertise in clean energy products design and development.”
Since its inception, Quant Solar has worked with multiple public sector enterprises, state government bodies and private companies. It has also delivered India’s first megawatt scale floating solar plant (FSP) of 2 MW capacity and one of the world’s largest floating solar plants of 36 MW for NTPC.