The Ministry of Power said grid readiness and stability for integrating large shares of renewable energy are assessed through load flow, dynamic stability and contingency studies. These studies evaluate the impact of renewable energy variability, intermittency and peak load on the national grid. The ministry said transmission has been planned for integration of over 500 gigawatt (GW) renewable energy capacity by 2030 and that associated schemes will be implemented in a phased manner.

Development of intra state transmission networks is being planned to keep pace with capacity additions and to anchor voltage and angular stability while reducing losses. Central financial assistance is being provided to states under the Green Energy Corridor scheme, with 24 GW evacuation under phase one already commissioned and around 20 GW under phase two under implementation.

Regional energy management centres are being set up for improved forecasting and to assist grid operators in managing variability and intermittency. Innovative approaches such as solar wind hybrid projects, renewable projects paired with energy storage and supply balancing with non renewable sources are being promoted alongside market mechanisms including green term ahead market and green day ahead market.

The ministry said flexibility measures include scheduling of thermal and hydro stations, automatic generation control sending secondary reserve ancillary services signals every four seconds, and market based tertiary reserve ancillary services for real time demand supply imbalances. Technical standards for connectivity laid down by the Central Electricity Authority are verified jointly by the central transmission utility and regional load despatch centres before granting interconnection.

Energy storage plans include development of 43 gigawatt hour (GWh) battery energy storage system capacity envisaged through viability gap funding and a national programme on advanced chemistry cell battery storage targeting 50 GWh manufacturing with a Rs 181 bn budgetary outlay, of which 10 GWh is earmarked for grid scale stationary storage. Pumped storage projects and large scale battery projects are in various stages of construction and tendering, and guidance has been issued for installation of automatic weather stations at solar and wind plants to improve generation predictability.