Signs pact with Norway's Ocean Sun to bring membrane-based floating solar technology; ~300 kWp Mulshi pilot

Tata Power has partnered with Norway-based Ocean Sun to bring its membrane-based floating solar technology to India.

Wed 7 Oct 2026

Pilot Capacity

~300 kWp floating solar pilot

Pilot Location

Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra

India Floating Solar Potential

more than 102 GWp

Tata Power has partnered with Ocean Sun, a Norway-based renewable energy technology company, to bring its membrane-based floating solar technology to India. The collaboration agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2nd India–EFTA Prosperity Summit, reinforcing the India–Norway and India–EFTA partnership in technology, innovation and clean energy.

The pilot

• A ~300 kWp floating solar pilot will be set up at Tata Power's Mulshi reservoir in Maharashtra.
• It will evaluate Ocean Sun's proprietary membrane-based floating solar technology for performance, reliability, cost competitiveness and scalability under Indian conditions, and generate practical operating insights for potential future deployment.
• Comparison against conventional floating solar solutions will cover energy generation, capacity utilisation factor (CUF), installation methodology and time, reliability, operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements, capital cost and overall commercial viability.

How the technology is different

• Conventional floating solar systems typically use interconnected pontoon structures.
• Ocean Sun's design places solar PV modules on a thin, hydro-elastic membrane that floats directly on the water surface.
• The lighter weight may simplify transportation and installation and reduce structural requirements, and the closeness of the modules to the water surface may give a cooling effect that could contribute to improved generation performance.

Why floating solar matters in India

• Estimates by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) put India's floating solar potential at more than 102 GWp.
• Floating solar allows solar generation from suitable water bodies, helping reduce dependence on land, with possible co-benefits such as reduced water evaporation and potentially enhanced PV performance.

Company profile given in the release

• Total operational and under-construction capacity of over 26 GW.
• Roughly 17.7 GW of clean and green energy capacity (including projects under construction) and around 8.8 GW of thermal generation capacity.
• 4.9 GW of integrated solar cell and module manufacturing capacity.
• 2.8 GW of signed pumped hydro storage projects.
• Serves over 13 million customers across its distribution businesses.

About Ocean Sun

• A Norwegian renewable energy technology company developing floating solar solutions, combining Norwegian maritime expertise with photovoltaic technology.
• Its patented system is based on solar modules mounted on hydro-elastic membranes, offered as a lightweight alternative to conventional floating PV structures.
• It has offices in Oslo, Singapore and Shanghai.

What those involved said

• Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO & Managing Director, said innovation is central to accelerating India's clean energy transition, and that the pilot aims to generate operating insights and assess the technology's potential to deliver reliable, scalable and cost-effective clean power solutions.
• Kristian Tørvold, CEO of Ocean Sun, said India is one of the world's most attractive floating solar markets but also a large and complex market where local execution capabilities are essential, and that Tata Power brings the experience, capabilities and market understanding required.

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