"Why India needs more transmission, battery storage for green energy push"
Evacuation
transferring electricity generated from renewable sources to where it is consumed via the grid
Curtailment
grid operators asking renewable plants to reduce or stop generation to maintain grid stability
The Green Energy Corridor (GEC) scheme was launched to build dedicated transmission infrastructure that can carry large-scale renewable energy (RE), mainly solar and wind, into India's national grid. India has committed to installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. Meeting these commitments needs matching growth in the networks that move power from where it is generated to where it is used, not just more solar panels and wind turbines.
Solar and wind potential is unevenly spread across India. States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh hold most of the installed RE capacity because of higher solar irradiance and wind speeds, while many northern and eastern states lag behind. This regional concentration means transmission bottlenecks appear first in the high-RE states, and it also explains why broadening RE deployment to more states has become a policy priority.
GEC-I and GEC-II strengthened intra-state and inter-state transmission in the states with the highest RE potential. GEC-I, covering eight states, is targeted for completion by March 2027; GEC-II, covering seven states, by 2028. Both phases have seen delays, reflecting a persistent gap between how fast RE capacity is added and how fast the grid to carry it is built.
Evacuation is the process of transferring electricity generated from renewable sources to places where it is consumed. When transmission lines are inadequate, RE plants face restrictions or are asked to reduce output, a situation called curtailment. Curtailment is becoming common during daytime hours, when solar generation peaks but demand or transmission capacity cannot absorb the surplus.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) address this mismatch. They convert surplus electricity into a storable form when generation is high, then convert it back to electricity when demand rises but generation is low, effectively shifting midday solar surplus to evening peak hours. …
India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its development. Elaborate.
Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.
Consider the following statements regarding the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-III, approved recently:
1.It has a total outlay of about Rs 1.86 lakh crore to enable evacuation of up to 135 GW of renewable energy.
2.It includes, for the first time in the GEC scheme, a dedicated component for deploying Battery Energy Storage Systems.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding India's renewable energy and emission commitments:
1.India has committed to installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based electricity capacity by 2030.
2.India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the financing of transmission projects under the Green Energy Corridor scheme, consider the following pairs:
1.Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) — Private developers compete to build and operate a project at a bid-determined tariff
2.Cost-Plus Basis (CPB) — Project cost and an approved return are recovered through regulated tariffs
3.Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) — Connects a state's own grid to the national inter-state network exclusively
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
'Curtailment' of renewable energy, as used in the context of India's power grid, refers to
With reference to the phases of the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) scheme, consider the following pairs:
Phase — Number of states covered
1.GEC-I — Eight states
2.GEC-II — Seven states
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
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