Researchers at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NIT-R) have created an intelligent control system that efficiently manages electricity from solar, wind, and battery sources, offering clean and uninterrupted power for rural areas even when cut off from the national grid.

The breakthrough, announced in a press release on Friday, was achieved by a team from NIT-R’s Department of Electrical Engineering. Their research was featured in the October edition of the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, co-authored by Professors Arnab Ghosh and Krishna Roy, along with research scholar Ananya Pritilagna Biswal.

Advancing sustainable power goals

The innovation supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as clean energy (SDG 7), climate action (SDG 13), and sustainable communities (SDG 11) by aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and deliver reliable power to underserved regions.

While hybrid microgrids combining renewable and battery systems are under global study, they often face stability challenges. To overcome these, the NIT-R team designed a dynamic Power Management Scheme (PMS) that enables coordinated operation between energy sources and storage units. This system boosts battery efficiency, extends lifespan, and reduces operational costs.

Reliable performance and social impact

The setup automatically switches energy converters depending on resource availability — solar during the day, followed by wind, biomass gasifier (BMG), and pico-hydropower (PH) — ensuring steady and balanced power flow across varying loads. Delivering about 10 kWh of dependable energy, it can support up to four rural households.

Professors Ghosh and Roy noted that the research focuses on optimising energy distribution among sources, loads, and storage units. “Such microgrids deliver social and environmental benefits by ensuring reliable electricity, promoting sustainability, creating employment, and improving living standards in remote communities,” they said.

Broader applications ahead

The system has been tested under real-world conditions, including fluctuating solar radiation, variable wind speeds, and changing load demands. It also has potential for integration into EV charging stations and standalone renewable installations.

“Decentralised power generation strengthens renewable energy distribution and supports NIT Rourkela’s mission to provide green energy access for all, particularly in off-grid areas,” the release concluded.