Grid violation mismanagement imperils India's energy shift: NREL
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Grid violation mismanagement imperils India's energy shift: NREL

The US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has stated that India's power system must safely and successfully speed up the adoption of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) like solar, storage, and electric vehicles in order to achieve its climate and energy objectives.

According to NREL, the increased integration of DERs will help reduce the country's emissions and decrease costs for customers, while also enhancing the reliability of the system and creating economic opportunities for India's private sector.

NREL highlights that as more DERs are introduced, the state utilities responsible for managing India's grid must deal with potential impacts such as voltage violations and shifts in demand on the country's medium- and low-voltage distribution networks. Failing to address these changes and risks could impede the deployment of DERs and other renewable energy technologies, thereby slowing down India's overall energy transition.

Given India's aim to significantly increase wind and solar generation capacity by 2030, it is vital to monitor how the distribution system (which encompasses small-scale wind and solar generation connected to the distribution system) interacts with and supports the Indian power grid. This monitoring will enable India to achieve levels where more than 20% of instantaneous electricity generation online is supplied by DERs. Furthermore, it is anticipated that DER systems will affect the performance, reliability, and stability of the bulk power system, emphasizing the importance of well-designed, locally appropriate interconnection standards.

In response to these challenges, last year, India's Central Electricity Regulatory Commission introduced regulations to restrict frequency fluctuations within the operating band to safeguard grid security.

NREL has previously assisted the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in adopting the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547-2018 standard in 2023. Although this represents a significant step forward, the requirements of this standard have yet to be integrated into India's grid code. NREL has provided several recommendations for seamless DER integration.

Your next big infra connection is waiting at RAHSTA 2025 – Asia’s Biggest Roads & Highways Expo, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Don’t miss out!

The US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has stated that India's power system must safely and successfully speed up the adoption of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) like solar, storage, and electric vehicles in order to achieve its climate and energy objectives. According to NREL, the increased integration of DERs will help reduce the country's emissions and decrease costs for customers, while also enhancing the reliability of the system and creating economic opportunities for India's private sector. NREL highlights that as more DERs are introduced, the state utilities responsible for managing India's grid must deal with potential impacts such as voltage violations and shifts in demand on the country's medium- and low-voltage distribution networks. Failing to address these changes and risks could impede the deployment of DERs and other renewable energy technologies, thereby slowing down India's overall energy transition. Given India's aim to significantly increase wind and solar generation capacity by 2030, it is vital to monitor how the distribution system (which encompasses small-scale wind and solar generation connected to the distribution system) interacts with and supports the Indian power grid. This monitoring will enable India to achieve levels where more than 20% of instantaneous electricity generation online is supplied by DERs. Furthermore, it is anticipated that DER systems will affect the performance, reliability, and stability of the bulk power system, emphasizing the importance of well-designed, locally appropriate interconnection standards. In response to these challenges, last year, India's Central Electricity Regulatory Commission introduced regulations to restrict frequency fluctuations within the operating band to safeguard grid security. NREL has previously assisted the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in adopting the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547-2018 standard in 2023. Although this represents a significant step forward, the requirements of this standard have yet to be integrated into India's grid code. NREL has provided several recommendations for seamless DER integration.

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Indian Railways Marks New Milestone with 4.5 km Long ‘Rudrastra’ Trial

Indian Railways has successfully conducted the trial run of Asia’s longest freight train, named ‘Rudrastra’, achieving a new milestone in cargo transportation, as per news reports. The 4.5 km-long train began its trial from Ganjkhwaja railway station in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh, and travelled to Garhwa in Jharkhand. Covering a distance of 209 km in 5 hours and 10 minutes, it maintained an average speed of 40.5 km per hour. The train was formed by combining three long-haul racks, with ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

UltraTech Launches India’s First On-Site Hybrid RTC Renewable Energy Project

UltraTech Cement has operationalised a 7.5 MW round-the-clock (RTC) hybrid renewable energy project at its Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The first-of-its-kind solution combines bifacial solar modules with trackers, wind energy and battery storage, co-located on-site, to ensure uninterrupted power for cement manufacturing without grid reliance. The project was executed in collaboration with clean energy solutions provider Gentari. Installed as a behind-the-meter system, it is the country..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Patna Metro Trials Successful, Red Line Priority Corridor to Launch This Month

Patna is set to roll out its first metro rail service later this month, with successful trial runs conducted on the Red Line priority corridor, the Patna Metro Rail Corporation announced.On 7 September, a metro train completed a test run between the Patna depot and Bhootnath station. Officials said the trials involved rigorous checks of rolling stock fitness, overhead electrification (OHE), and track alignment and stability to ensure operational safety and performance.The corridor from the New Pataliputra Bus Terminal to Bhoothnath has been designated as the priority stretch and will be the fi..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?