On the progress of renewable energy integration into smart grids in India

With more than 21,000 MW installed capacity of renewable energy sources as of now out of an estimated potential of about 189,000 MW, in the years to come it is really a challenge to integrate the same into the smart grids in a country like India. This is basically on account of unevenly distributed renewable resources. With 5 regional grids gradually getting connected, formation of national grid in totality is a reality. Of course with major sources of generation being thermal with availability up to certain distant future, entire thrust has been put in recent years on the development of renewable resources that would be the source of energy to run side by side to the conventional ones. At the same time vast assets created in transmission and distribution will also continue to be gainfully used, may be in conjunction other form of value addition to the same for proper functioning. Under this condition, keeping in mind the eventualities, regulations have been framed and so also the certification process has been made effective to handle the situation particularly on grid connectivity front. Expectations from smart grids by the consumers and suppliers as well of course may lead further refinement to the existing protocols in the process in the years to come as and when harnessing of renewable resources progresses to attain a very high level.