"Strategies to stabilise India's solar-heavy electricity grid affordably"
Solar curtailment
deliberate reduction of solar plant output when grid cannot absorb surplus generation.
Duck curve
graph of net grid demand showing a midday dip and steep evening rise as solar penetration grows.
India has built one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy programmes over the past decade. The country has already met its earlier Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target of 50 per cent non-fossil fuel installed capacity, five years ahead of the 2030 deadline. A revised target now aims for 60 per cent non-fossil fuel installed capacity by 2035, alongside the existing goal of 500 GW of renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2030. With 283 GW of RE already installed and another 150 GW in the pipeline, the deployment phase has been largely successful.
Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. Solar and wind are described as intermittent or variable sources because their output depends on weather conditions, not on operator command. Traditional power grids were designed around synchronous generators, coal, gas, and hydro plants, whose rotating machinery naturally provides inertia, stabilising grid frequency. As solar and wind displace these generators, the grid's physical characteristics change in ways that require new engineering and policy responses.
The Electricity Act, 2003 and subsequent amendments created the regulatory architecture for India's power sector, establishing the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and state-level commissions. Grid operation is managed by the Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), now merged into the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) framework. Despite this institutional foundation, the rules governing tariffs, grid codes, and storage procurement have not kept pace with the speed of RE deployment.
The core technical challenge of a solar-heavy grid is the mismatch between when electricity is generated and when it is consumed. Solar generation peaks around midday, but residential and commercial demand peaks in the evening. This creates a characteristic duck curve, a graph of net demand (total demand minus solar output) that dips sharply in the afternoon and rises steeply after sunset, straining dispatchable generation.
When solar output exceeds the grid's ability to absorb it, grid operators instruct solar plants to reduce output. This is called solar curtailment. In the first half of the current year, India curtailed approximately 8,133 million units (MUs) of solar electricity. Curtailment wastes clean energy already generated at near-zero marginal cost and undermines the financial viability of solar projects, raising the cost of future investment.
A second technical concern involves short-circuit ratio (SCR). Inverter-based resources, solar and wind, do not contribute to short-circuit current the way synchronous generators do. …
Consider the following:
1.Battery storage
2.Biomass generators
3.Fuel cells
4.Rooftop solar photovoltaic units
How many of the above are considered "Distributed Energy Resources"?
With reference to technologies for solar power production, consider the following statements:
1.'Photovoltaics' is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion of light into electricity, while 'Solar Thermal' is a technology that utilizes the Sun's rays to generate heat which is further used in electricity generation process.
2.Photovoltaics generates Alternating Current (AC), while Solar Thermal generates Direct Current (DC).
3.India has manufacturing base for Solar Thermal technology, but not for Photovoltaics.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
'Net metering' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of promoting the
How can India achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047? How can biotechnology play a crucial role in this endeavour? (Answer in 150 words)
Consider the following statements regarding India's solar energy grid integration:
1.Solar curtailment occurs when solar output exceeds the grid's capacity to absorb it, resulting in wasted generation.
2.Inverter-based solar and wind resources increase the short-circuit ratio (SCR) at grid nodes compared to synchronous generators.
3.Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) currently cost less per unit than coal-based thermal power in India.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following pairs regarding electricity costs in India (FY 2024-25):
1.Utility-scale solar power — approximately ₹3.65/kWh
2.Coal-based thermal power (weighted national average) — approximately ₹4.67/kWh
3.Four-hour peak battery storage (BESS, UP tender) — approximately ₹6.45/unit
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
With reference to India's renewable energy programme, consider the following statements:
1.India achieved its NDC target of 50% non-fossil fuel installed capacity five years ahead of the 2030 deadline.
2.India has set a revised target of 60% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2035.
3.India's installed renewable energy capacity currently stands at 500 GW.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following best describes the 'duck curve' in the context of electricity grid management?
Consider the following statements regarding India's rooftop solar and distributed energy landscape:
1.India's rooftop solar programme has crossed 49.8 lakh installations.
2.Under the 'Domestic Content Requirement', solar power projects must use domestically manufactured solar cells and modules to qualify for certain government schemes.
3.Net metering allows rooftop solar owners to sell surplus electricity to the grid and receive credit against their electricity bills.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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