The high concentration of solar plants in arid regions of India puts increased pressure on scarce water which is used to clean the equipment, consultancy Bridge to India said. “Solar power has been a major contributor to India’s energy mix for many years and it will continue to be so,” said Ravi Kumar, head of renewable energy, at Bridge-to-India. Water use levels per module per cycle range range from just above 1 litre to 4 litres, said Bridge to India. Combined with inefficient cleaning methods, this exposes 94% of the country's solar capacity to medium- to high-water risk, the report said.
The high concentration of solar plants in arid regions of India puts increased pressure on scarce water which is used to clean the equipment, consultancy Bridge to India said. For example, it has been estimated that 600,000 cubic metres of water a year are needed to keep Rajasthan's solar modules clean. Water use levels per module per cycle range range from just above 1 litre to 4 litres, said Bridge to India. Combined with inefficient cleaning methods, this exposes 94% of the country's solar capacity to medium- to high-water risk, the report said.