Home > Mains Article > Canal-Top Photovoltaics
Canal-top photovoltaics can generate solar power while saving land and reducing water evaporation, offering India a large but underused renewable energy opportunity.
By Vajiram Mains Team – Sep 23, 2026, 11:32 IST
Source: TH | ToI
Last updated on Sep, 2026
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Q1. What are canal-top photovoltaics? +
Ans. Canal-top photovoltaics are solar panels mounted on elevated structures over canals, generating electricity while allowing water to flow underneath without obstruction.
Q2. How can canal-top photovoltaics save land and water? +
Ans. Canal-top photovoltaics require little additional land and can reduce evaporation from covered canal stretches, particularly benefiting water-stressed regions.
Q3. What is India's potential for canal-top photovoltaics?+
Ans. A 2024 assessment estimated India’s combined canal-top photovoltaics and canal-bank solar potential at approximately 131 GW across suitable canal networks.
Q4. Why have canal-top photovoltaics not scaled rapidly in India?+
Ans. Canal-top photovoltaics face high structural costs, complex engineering requirements, difficult maintenance, canal layouts and challenges connecting projects efficiently to substations.
Q5. Which states have significant potential for canal-top photovoltaics?+
Ans. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have the highest estimated potential for canal-top photovoltaics and canal-bank solar installations.
Tags: Canal-Top Photovoltaics mains articles upsc current affairs upsc mains current affairs
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