On 22nd July, 2021 a report named Renewables Integration in India 2021 was jointly launched by NITI Aayog and IEA. This report is based on the outcome of workshops held in three states along with the Governments of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat to understand the energy transition challenges which is faced by these renewable-rich states.

Highlights of the report:

=> This report uses IEA modelling results to portray the effects of various flexibility options on the power system.

=> India’s power system can efficiently integrate renewables (175 GW by the year 2022 and 450 GW by the year 2030) as highlighted by the report, but it would require proper planning, regulatory policy and institutional support, identification of resources, energy storage and advance technology initiatives.

=> The states of India need to employ a wide range options such as more flexible operation of coal based power plants, demand response, grid improvements and storage so that they can transition to cleaner electricity systems.

=> Time of Use (ToU) tariffs can be an effective tool to encourage flexible consumption and incentivise demand side management.

=> This report will serve as repository for all the stakeholders in India.

=> Government’s policies on the flexibility of thermal power plant and the strengthening of transmission network through the green corridors along with the need of cost effective solutions for storage technologies was also mentioned in this report.

=> The current practice of Self Scheduling by Discom will be replaced by Market Based Economic Dispatch (MBED) model for better optimization of economic dispatch and scheduling of generation capacities.

=> Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited had emphasized that to absorb maximum RE power the State has shifted 70% to 80% agriculture load to the day time while providing incentives to all the industrial consumers so that they consume more electricity and increasing the State’s share in Green Energy Trading.

=> Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission stated that the old regulations need to be revised and the regulatory commissions need to play a proactive role to implement the revised regulations in the state.

Conclusion:

Sh. Rajnath Ram, Adviser (Energy) concluded this meeting by stating that NITI Aayog looks forward to providing support to the state governments in order to support their development plan for affordable, clean and secure power systems for the future.