India Lacks Consistent Renewable Energy Supply

The clarion call towards achieving net-zero emissions globally has necessitated reimagining a new energy system for building a sustainable planet. The latest report of UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasised the urgent need to support climate-resilient development for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

India has emerged as a leading player in the global effort to address the climate crisis by ranking fourth worldwide in terms of installed renewable energy capacity. With a goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, the country is actively crusading towards achieving an impressive target of 500GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030. Nevertheless, the intermittent nature of renewable energy continues to pose a challenge to its integration into mainstream usage.

The challenge of intermittent renewable energy

Today, the grid operator employs a planning process to maintain a consistent and reliable supply of electricity by ensuring that power plants generate the appropriate amount of electricity to meet the demand. The grid's limited storage capacity makes it essential to maintain a balance between supply and demand to prevent blackouts.

However, integrating intermittent renewables presents a challenge as they disrupt the planning process. The unpredictability of weather conditions, such as cloud cover or wind fluctuations, makes it difficult to anticipate the output from solar panels or wind turbines. Currently, the grid operator signals power plants every four seconds to maintain a balance between the amount of power injected and withdrawn from the grid.

Due to the unpredictable fluctuations caused by renewables, the grid operator needs more reserve power on standby to swiftly respond to any sudden power generation shortfalls or excesses to keep the grid balanced. While renewables disrupt the grid’s operation in several ways, it is possible to compensate for the additional intermittency and uncertainty by deploying the right strategies.  
 
Decarbonising energy system with dispatchable renewable energy 

Decarbonisation has emerged as a key global priority, especially with the significant reduction in the cost of renewable energy sources. This has made them more economically competitive with conventional sources of energy, making the transition towards a low-carbon future more feasible than ever before. The cost of solar power has dropped by as much as 80 percent and that of wind power by 40 percent in just the last decade.

However, addressing the intermittency of renewables is crucial for countries striving to provide reliable clean energy to achieve their decarbonisation goals. Therefore shifting the focus on ramping up energy storage solutions is critical. This would ensure the availability of clean renewable energy as per consumer requirements while maintaining grid stability and security. This is where dispatchability would play a key role. In its literal meaning, dispatchable renewable energy refers to forms of renewable energy that can be controlled by grid operators to meet the demand for electricity at any given time.

This is an emerging trend that can accelerate the transition to a greener future by ensuring that the lights stay on even when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing.

The government has announced its intention to increase renewable energy capacity by 250GW within the next five years, and dispatchable renewables are expected to play a vital role in achieving a balanced energy mix.

The increasing wind and solar PV developments in the network reflect that India is well poised to unleash dispatchability for achieving sustainable and low-cost energy for attaining its climate targets. The onus now lies on the Indian power sector to seize the opportunity by planning large-scale energy storage projects.  
 
Power of prediction

The power of prediction is another developing phenomenon for managing renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. While renewable energy can smooth out its fluctuations on a second-by-second basis, forecasting their expected generation levels over the next few hours can be a challenge. Fortunately, advancements in science have shown that it is possible to effectively model and predict the aggregate renewable power available to the grid.

Wind and solar energy are dependent on natural processes that can be predicted with a reasonable level of accuracy through modelling. With the increasing adoption of environmentally friendly energy sources, accurate prediction of renewable energy output is crucial, and technology is set to play a crucial part in meeting this demand 
 
Incentivising energy production at the right time and place

The timing and location of renewable energy sources can vary significantly, with continental wind energy peaking at night, coastal wind energy peaking during the day, and solar energy peaking at different times throughout the day depending on its orientation. To achieve an optimal mix of renewable energy sources, an efficient electricity market that incentivises electricity generation at the right time and place is essential.

Existing competitive electricity markets already offer prices that vary over time and regions depending on the local level of electricity supply and demand. Exposing renewable energy to these prices can encourage a mix of renewable sources that produce the right amount of energy when needed thereby, reducing the need for costly energy storage.

Therefore, it is clear that collaboration among governments, industry, and researchers is pivotal for the emergence of new energy paradigms that support our net-zero ambition. While renewables have the capability to expedite the transition to clean energy, the timely implementation of innovative technologies is imperative to ensure a dependable and sustainable energy supply.

(Sajay KV is CEO, BrightNight India.)