Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt will consider implementing floating solar and pumped storage projects to meet Keralam’s long-term energy requirements, said electricity minister Sunny Joseph. He was speaking at a session on renewable energy initiatives during the Reimagining Kerala round-table conference on Friday to prepare a roadmap for implementing major development projects announced by state govt in the budget.The minister said the energy crisis could be resolved only through innovative projects suited to the state’s unique geographical and climatic conditions. He pointed out that the limited availability of land and changing climate conditions posed constraints on implementing solar and wind-energy projects on a large scale. The state should explore the possibilities of developing floating solar and pumped storage projects, as well as community-level battery-storage systems with the support of local self-govt institutions, he said.Energy storage should be made part of govt policy as an effective and practical solution to the state’s existing energy crisis, said power secretary and KSEB chairperson and managing director M G Rajamanickam. He added that many people installing rooftop solar systems were often unaware of the amount of energy they consumed. A system was needed to educate consumers about electricity consumption and prepare the public for energy storage, he said.
