"The challenge today in India is to develop Renewable energy storage systems." Why? What is being done?
The draft National Energy Storage Mission seeks to set up grid-connected energy storage in India, set up a regulatory framework, and encourage indigenous manufacture of batteries. The draft sets a “realistic target” of 15-20 gigawatt hours (GWh) of grid-connected storage within the next five years Power grids do not currently use storage options that would help in smoothly integrating renewable energy sources.
The mission will focus on seven verticals: indigenous manufacturing; an assessment of technology and cost trends; a policy and regulatory framework; financing, business models and market creation; research and development; standards and testing; and grid planning for energy storage.
Renewable energy sources now make up almost one-fifth of India’s total installed power capacity. However, as power grids increase their share of solar and wind energy, the problem remains that the peak supply of renewable sources does not always meet peak demand. For instance, solar energy generation may be at its peak at noon, but unless stored, it will not be available when needed to light up homes at night. Moreover, renewable sources are inherently intermittent: there are days when the wind doesn’t blow or the sky is cloudy.
The challenge today in India is to develop energy storage systems for the renewable energy Batteries could help store surplus energy during peak generation times, but are more immediately needed to stabilise the grid when shifting between renewables and the base load thermal capacity. Once the installed capacity of renewables reaches 100 GW [from the curent 65 GW], it will become critical to incorporate storage options.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will issue tenders for grid-connected storage by the end of the year, said its managing director Jatindra Nath Swain. For its own 160 MW plant in Andhra Pradesh, the SECI will issue tenders for a storage option. Up to 10% of solar power can be injected into the grid without storage. After that, storage will become a necessity.
