Smart Grid Vision for India is -Transform the Indian power sector into a secure, adaptive, sustainable and digitally enabled ecosystem that provides reliable and quality energy for all with active participation of stakeholders.
Few nodes of power generation and billions for power consumption, Indian electricity sector has witnessed an enormous growth in its energy demand, generation capacity, transmission and distribution networks. Indian power system is the second largest synchronous grid in the world. With an installed capacity of 362.12 GW as on 30th September 2019, India is also the third largest producer and fourth largest consumer of electricity in the world. India’s thermal (coal, lignite, gas and diesel) dependency for meeting the world’s second largest population energy demand is approximately 63 per cent and only coal dependency is about 54 – 55 per cent which constitutes roughly 86 per cent of thermal dependency, i.e. country’s much of the energy demand is served by traditional grids, focused on burning of fossil fuels. In spite of large generation of the energy, due to small number of generation nodes and high amount of transmission losses varying from 6 per cent to 50 per cent, India has low per capita consumption.
Renewable energy is looked upon as an alternative to fossil fuels but total dependency on renewable cannot be achieved with present technology and huge reforms is required in the field of renewable energy sources. Power flow in traditional power system is unidirectional and traces the fact of not considering variation in demand and serving when it is required rather supplies energy as it is generated. In this context, smart grid has proven the capability of load consideration and transmitting energy from multiples sources meeting the demand, minimising the transmission losses and managing the peak loads.
Smart Grid development has become a key priority for the Government of India (GoI) – not only to curb power transmission and distribution losses but also to improve reliability and quality of power supply, and ensure power to all. SGs development is one of the most important technology revolutions currently taking place as electricity grids are the world’s large blocks of infrastructure still need to be digitised. A smart grid is an electrical grid with automation, communication and IT systems that can monitor power flows from points of generation to points of consumption (even down to the appliances level) and control the power flow to match generation in real time. The increased visibility, predictability, and even control of generation and demand bring flexibility to both generation and consumption and enable the utility to better integrate intermittent renewable generation, making it cost effective and responsive. Smart grids are engineered for reliability and self- healing operations.
In August 2013, with the input and consultation from India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) and various other stakeholders, a roadmap – Smart Grid Vision And Roadmap in India – was drafted in alignment with ongoing projects – Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) with an objective of ‘Access, Availability, and Affordability of power for all’ and was issued by the Ministry of Power (MoP).
The objectives of the roadmap as laid out in 2013 was as follows:
- Access and availability of quality power to all
- Electrification of all households by 2017
- Reduction of power cuts with minimum of eight hours of electricity supply
- Reducing AT&C losses in distribution losses to below 15 per cent
- Advanced metering infrastructure for all by 2027 in three phases
- Deployment of Wide Areas Monitoring Systems (WAMS)
- Development of micro grids
- Generation of 30 GW energy using renewable energy sources
- Energy efficient programs for lighting and HVAC in metros and state capitals
- Initiating Dynamic (smart) Energy Efficiency Programs, to be spread nation-wide
- Charging stations for electric vehicles
- Promoting energy storage systems
- Indigenous smart meter by 2014
- Training of at least 10 per cent of utility technical personnel in smart grid technologies.
India Smart Grid Forum
ISGF is a Public Private Partnership initiative of MoP, Government of India for accelerated development of smart grid technologies in the Indian power sector. Mandate of ISGF is to advise government on policies of SGs in India and is also focused on eight working groups on different aspects of smart grid such as WG1: Grid Modernisation and Smart Cities; WG2: IoT, Smart Metering, AI & Analytics; WG3: Digital Architecture and Cyber Security; WG4: Policy, Regulations and Business Models; WG5: Renewables & Microgrids; WG6: Flexibility & Electric Mobility; WG7: Smart Gas; WG8: Smart Water.
- ISGF worked with stakeholders in finalisation of Smart Meters Standards as a part of the committee under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which is now under printing
- Worked with BIS and MNRE in creation of BIS ETD46 Committee for Large Scale RE-Integration to the Grid
ISGF work closely with international standards development agencies such as IEC, IEEE, Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP), OpenADR Forum, Wi-SUN Alliance, Open Smart Grid Protocol Alliance (OSGP)etc - ISGF closely work with Telecom Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI) for formulation of standards in the M2M/IoT domain.
According to ISGF Annual Report 2017-18:
- ISGF published a white paper ‘Leveraging Smart Grid Assets for Building Smart Cities at Marginal cost’. The key concept proposed is to consider smart grid as the anchor infrastructure and can be extended to domains such as water distribution, gas distribution, traffic and security etc.; and further extending the service of billing and collection and customer care systems at marginal cost and operate efficiently.
- ISGF in association with India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) is developing energy storage roadmap for India from the period 2018-2032 supported by MacArthur Foundation.
- New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO), Japan has come forward to fund one of the Smart Grid Pilot projects in India. Accordingly, MoP and Government of Haryana have allotted Panipat Smart Grid Project to NEDO for demonstration of Japanese Smart Grid Technologies.
- IoT is an emerging disruptive technology that transforms the way physical object or assets operate and adds value in automation of any industry. ISGF in association with PWC and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation has conducted the study Diagnostic Study of Energy Efficiency of IoT to stimulate policy dialogue among key stakeholders for guiding the evolution of IoT industry to adopt low power communication technologies, minimise the risk of excess energy footprint and also sense the readiness of the industry for embracing standby power standards.
- ISGF is preparing Smart Grid Roadmap for Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) in alignment with on-going programs such as – R-APDRP, IPDS and DDUGVY which will outline activities BESCOM can undertake over a specified timeframe to achieve stated goals and its expected outcomes.
- ISGF prepared an Implementation Plan for public transportation in Kolkata, India with support from Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation in October 2017. This study assessed the potential for electrification of public transportation in Kolkata and proposes an integrated transportation, electrification, and charging infrastructure, and a prioritized roadmap for buses, 3-wheelers, and ferries.
National Smart Grid Mission
After drafting of roadmap, during the implementation of Smart Grid Pilot projects in state utilities, it was felt necessary to create an institutional arrangement capable of taking necessary actions needed to take it forward and thus, National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM), housed under MoP was established by the Government of India vide MoP Office Memorandum dated 27.03.2015 to plan and monitor the implementation of policies and to accelerate smart grid deployment in India. Under Phase – I (2014 – 2017), NSGM recommended following interventions in Smart Grids for 12th Plan (ending March 2017), costing Rs 980 crore:
- Deployment of Smart Meters and AMI
- Substation renovation and Modernisation with deployment of GIS wherever economically feasible
- Development of medium sized Micro grids
- Development of Distributed Generation in form of Rooftop PVs
- Real-time monitoring and control of distribution transformers
- Provision of Harmonic Filters and other power quality improvement measures
- Creation of EV charging infrastructure for supporting proliferation of EVs.
Whereas, under Phase – II (2017-2020), NSGM has following objectives for development in smart grid till 14th Finance Commission period (ending in March 2020), costing ₹ 990 crore:
- Enable access and availability of quality power to all
- Loss reduction
- Smart Grid roll outs including automation, microgrids and other improvements – AMI roll out, prosumer enablement, demand response (DR) or demand side management (DSM)
- Policies and tariffs – dynamic tariff implementation, DR programs, tariff mechanisms for solar PVs
- Green power and energy efficiency – renewable integration
- Electric vehicles and energy storage – electric vehicle (EV) charging stations & energy storage systems. There are 5 SG projects sanctioned under NSGM – CED-Chandigarh (Sub Division 5), CED-Chandigarh (Complete City excluding Sub division 5), KSEB-Thiruvananthapuram (Kochi), JBVNL-Jharkhand (Ranchi), OPTCL-Odisha (Rourkela).
UDAY and NTP
Last few years, witnessed a series of interventions by Central Government to reallocate the resources with special focus on electrification and 24×7 power to all, which triggered a new flagship program – Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) was announced in November 2015 by MoP for state-owned DISCOMS and main objectives of this scheme include compulsory feeder metering by 2016 and distribution transformer metering 2017, consumer indexing and GIS mapping by 2018, smart metering of all consumers consuming more than 200 units per month by Dec 2019, demand side management like LED lighting, energy efficient appliances by March 2019 and also setting up a mechanism on judging the efficiency of DISCOMs on the basis of their reduction in AT&C. After UDAY, amendments to National Tariff Policy (NTP) was published in January 2016. NTP seeks to spread smart metering to enable Time of Day tariff and allowing net metering to encourage rooftop solar generation.
Integrated Power Development Scheme
The scope of R-APDRP has been extended under the newly launched program called Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), and 11 SG projects were sanctioned under this program – AVVNL (Ajmer), APDCL (Assam), CESC (Mysore), HPSEB (Himachal Pradesh), PED (Puducherry), TSECL (Tripura), TSSPDCL (Telangana), UHBVN (Haryana), UGVCL (Gujarat), WBSEDCL (West Bengal), IIT Kanpur and SGKC (Manesar).
Smart Grid Drivers
Unlike conventional energy sources, renewable generations are highly unpredictable, intermittent, variable type and thus, requires special control and balancing architecture to deal with the uncertainty and variability to maintain grid stability and security. Key factors driving smart grid in developed countries include Demand Side Management (TOU tariff, automated demand response, etc.) and environmental concerns for renewable integration. But, along with every global factors, India has additional smart grid drivers which includes – Reduction of T&D losses in all utilities as well as improved collection efficiency, peak load management – multiple options from direct load control to consumer pricing incentives, reduction in power purchase cost, increased grid visibility, improved reliability of supply to all customers, improve quality of supply, financially sound utilities and last but not the least reduction in emission intensity.
Research and Development
Government Ministries or departments supporting the smart grid research includes – Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Science and Engineering research board (SERB), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Power, Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Bengaluru. Various institutes or universities working on smart grid are – IIT Roorkee (Smart Grid-DC grids), IIT Delhi (Prevention of blackouts, control of micro-grids), IIT-Kanpur (Smart grid- micro-grids), IIT-Kharagpur (Protection and Renewable Energy integration to grid), IIT-Bombay (Power electronic interfaces for non-conventional energy sources).
Challenges and issues
Power industry is witnessing higher versions of technology like SGs and with support from stakeholders, SG success is possible but like any other technology, this technology also needs to overcome few challenges (or barriers) such as – technical, social and economic. Technical challenges are basically related with integration of several devices or resources with grid network and includes – Inadequacies in grid infrastructure, cyber security, energy storage concerns, data management, communication issues, stability concerns, energy management and electrical vehicles while social acceptance and economy are the key factors and plays a vital role for development of any technology. The socio-economic challenges include – high capital investment, stakeholder’s engagement, system operation aspects, lack of awareness, and fear of obsolescence, new tariffs, RF signal interference and health issues. Other than these, few miscellaneous challenges demand attention which includes – regulation and policies, power theft, expertise of work force and coordination among enterprise of power, information and communication industries, policymakers, system operators, regulators, government, utilities, manufacturers, business market, economists as well as consumers.
Suggestion and Conclusion
For any system to be effective and efficient, it should be intrinsically viable with minimal or no dependency on any of the external support system such as – subsidies. Some of vital recommendations from various studies for efficient deployment of smart grid include – loss reduction with accurate and timely meter reading, real time granular level energy audit, precise interventions for power theft detection and load curtailment, making 24×7 power accessible by load limiters for rationing power supply, TOU tariff by introducing dynamic pricing, rooftop solar generating green energy at user end and net metering using smart meters, value-added services for smart city such as – DISCOMS to provide anchor infrastructure for smart cities and sharing data backbone with governance stakeholders, value-added services for smart home such as – consumers willing to pay for additional services will get the option to avail special ICT-enabled facilities, electric vehicle rollout will lead to EV charging infrastructure and Vehicle to Grid (V2G) services, metering, data and communication technology standards need to be formulated and advertised such as – smart metering rollout framework for the country, new tariffs, etc. Policy and regulation interventions on emerging subject areas must include – energy storage systems, rural mini-grids, anti-theft provisions, model regulations for time of use tariff, model regulations for demand response, policy considerations for electric vehicle infrastructure and integrating DRE micro-grids etc.
With continuous monitoring of the system, it requires an immense database, maintaining lots of servers and processing immense data which are prone to cyber-attack. To overcome this, researchers suggested for integrating power sector with Blockchain Technology. A blockchain is a shared, encrypted ledger that is maintained by a network of computers, i.e. no single authority. These computers verify transactions and each user can access the ledger, and is able to track, coordinate and carry out transactions or processing and store information from a large number of devices making it as a decentralised encrypted network.
When a unit of electricity is generated today, a meter send data that gets logged in a spreadsheet which is then sent to a registry provider, where the data gets entered into a new system and a certificate is generated. A second set of brokers deals with the buyers and sellers of these certificates.
Such a byzantine system racks up transaction costs, while leaving plenty of room for accounting errors that can range from honest mistakes to outright fraud. The lack of transparency also scares many people off entirely. The technology pieces that need to fit together from the perspective of smart grid marrying digital need to be focused on: Analytics for Demand Forecasting, Analytics for Energy Auditing, Analytics for fraud detection and loss reduction, Analytics for forecasting renewable generation, Mobility Solutions for field workforce, mobility solutions for customers, remote monitoring, control and operation.
Dr. Anuradha Tomar
Postdoc, Electrical Engineering Group,
Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
Ayush Mittal
Student, HMR Institute of
Technology & Management
