ANNOUNCEMENTS
India’s increasing energy demand, limited land availability, and ambitious renewable energy goals call for innovative approaches to scale up clean energy without encroaching on agricultural or ecologically sensitive areas. This study assesses the technical and economic viability of installing Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) systems on abandoned coal mines, a largely untapped yet promising asset. With the Ministry of Coal placing increasing emphasis on the repurposing of closed coal mines, there is a growing need to explore viable repurposing strategies, one of the most promising being the deployment of FSPV systems on mine sump area. Notably, existing research on India’s floating solar potential has largely neglected mine voids representing a major untapped opportunity. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the feasibility of utilizing closed mine sites for solar power generation. A methodology has been developed to identify potential of floating solar PV and ground mounted PV on closed mines through comprehensive site evaluations, solar resource analysis, energy yield assessments and techno economic evaluations. The research identifies 341 closed coal mines, of which 36 opencast mines are considered technically suitable for FSPV deployment. Based on available data, the total floating solar potential at these selected sites is estimated at 266 MW, with a competitive Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of ₹2.52/kWh. The total investment potential for this segment is estimated at approximately 130.17 million USD. Furthermore, closed coal mines present a significant opportunity for ground-mounted solar PV development, with an estimated potential of 4,487 MW with a market opportunity of approximately 1,590 million, underscoring the strong investment prospects in converting these sites into clean energy assets. Also, this potential capacity could offset approximately 0.40 million tons of CO₂ through FSPV installations and around 6.73 million tons through ground-mounted PV systems, contributing significantly to emission reduction targets.
A pilot simulation at the South Balanda OCP mine demonstrates an annual generation of 70.8 GWh at a DC Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of 18%, with sensitivity analysis suggesting that an LCOE as low as ₹2.11/kWh is achievable under favorable conditions.
The study also addresses key barriers, including uneven terrain, potential contamination, and regulatory hurdles and limited community engagement.
Drawing on global best practices particularly China’s successful repurposing of flooded mines for large-scale floating solar, the report advocates for the designation of Coal India Limited as the nodal agency to spearhead pilot projects and enable broader deployment. With targeted policy support and cross-sectoral coordination, floating solar installations on closed coal mines can play a vital role in India’s energy transition, contributing to national decarbonization targets and sustainable land use planning.
