Developing RE storage capacity

Renewable energy, including solar, which accounts for 50% of the installed capacity in India, brings home the fact that the country is on course to reduce coal dependence for electricity production, but the devil is in the details. The generation of renewable energy against the installed capacity is only around 26%. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy in its latest report has pointed out this critical gap and the harsh reality that renewable energy continues to be unreliable for meeting peak power demands of the country. Revisiting the storage capacity of renewable energy, as recommended by the parliamentary panel, is the pragmatic solution to bridge the gap. Ironically, information provided by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to the committee reveals that against the 243 GW of installed capacity of renewableenergy, the current storage capacity in the country ranges between 5 GW and 5.5 GW. The CEA in its Report on ‘Optimal Generation Mix 2030’ has estimated that the required energy storage capacity by 2029-30 is 60.63 GW, which includes 18.98 GW of Pumped Storage Project and 41.65 GW of Battery Energy Storage System. The Committee’s observation that the main reason forslow development of storage systems in India is its high cost, whichmakes it unattractive for developers as well as buyers and puts the onus on the government to articulate innovative solutions to accelerate increasing storage capacity for renewable energy. Nevertheless, expediting the PSP and BESS projects already sanctioned and approved for installation in various states, including Assam, is crucial for fast-tracking energy transition and increasing capacity utilisation for renewable energy. The advisory issued by CEA that all the renewable energy projects that are coming up in the future should have at least 10% storage is expected to bring about the desired pace of enhancing storage capacity, provided the advisory is strictly implemented by project developers. The National Framework for Promoting Energy Storage issued by the Ministry of Power explains the key difference between conventional energy sources and new, renewable sources. It points out that the conventional energy sources, such as coal, hydro (with storage), and nuclear, can be stockpiled, and generation or energy output from these power plants can be controlled. However, the same is not the case with Renewable Energy (RE) sources such as solar, wind and run-of-the-river hydro (without pondage), which are to be used instantly, and in case they are not utilised, they will be lost forever. This variability factor in respect of RE sources presents a key challenge in depending on RE projects for grid stability without adequate storage systems despite the increase in installed capacity. As mandated by ‘The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2022’, notified on 20th April 2022, the framework laid emphasis on consumers, who are using the diesel generator sets as essential backup power, to make an endeavour to shift to cleaner technology such as renewable energy with battery storage in five years or as per the timelines given by the State Commission for such replacement, but reliability of supply of RE will be the key determinant on the practicality of meeting the set timeline. Encouraging installation of energy storage systems by commercial and industrial consumers who are using DG sets to store electricity from the grid or from solar panels and use it during power outages to replace diesel for backup power needs. Apart from reducing air pollution, replacement of DG sets with clean energy backup power is also critical for substantially reducing noise pollution. The framework underscores the need for inclusion of the end-of-life management plan in the bidding documents of all energy storage system projects to align with the national shift from a linear economy to a circular economy based on the principles of 3Rs- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The viability of such a management plan hinges on manufacturers of energy storage systems designing systems with an end-of-life management approach. promoting the reuse of batteries and minimising waste by establishing partnerships with companies or organizations that specialise in repurposing used batteries for second-life applications and providing information and guidance to ESS developers on how to properly maintain and manage the batteries to extend their lifespan. The establishment of dedicated waste management centres to facilitate e-waste collection in compliance with laid-down pollution norms is essential to ensure that the intent behind shifting from a linear economy to a circular economy is truly realised. Rooftop solar projects play a crucial role in increasing energy storage in the country at the household level. The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to establish rooftop solar for one crore households by 2026-27, but only 16% of households have so far been covered, which the parliamentary committee rightly attributes to poor awareness levels about the utility and importance of rooftop solar. Without building adequate energy storage capacities, the mere addition of renewable energy generation capacity will not ensure a net zero transition.