NITI Aayog and IEA launch ‘Renewables Integration in India 2021’

NITI Aayog and IEA launch ‘Renewables Integration in India 2021’

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Renewable Energy

In news A report on “Renewables Integration in India 2021” was jointly launched by NITI Aayog & International Energy Agency (IEA) on 22nd July, 2021. 

• The joint report underscores IEA’s commitment to provide support to India with its clean energy transition agenda.
• It also provides useful suggestions for the states to consider to best manage their integration challenge.
• The report is based on the outcome of three states workshops held with the Governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat to understand the specific energy transition challenges faced by these renewable-rich states. 
• The report uses IEA modelling results to show the effects of different flexibility options on the power system.

What are the key highlights of the report?

• The report highlights that India’s power system can efficiently integrate renewables (175 GW by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030), but it would require identification of resources and proper planning, regulatory, policy and institutional support, energy storage and advanced technology initiatives.
• Indian states need to employ a wide range of flexibility options to transition to cleaner electricity systems. 
• Distributed solar will play a major role in reducing integration challenges. 
• It is also emphasized that to absorb maximum RE power, State has shifted 70% -80% agriculture load to the day time, providing incentives to industrial consumers for consuming more electricity and increasing State share in the Green Energy Trading (now, approx. 50%). 
• RE integration can start with proper resources planning and better implementation of technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, base power system management and smart grid intervention.
• Old regulations need to be revised and regulatory commissions need to play more proactive role. 
• Smart meters, Time of the Day tariff and overall demand response program would be useful for RE load management.

News Source: PIB