Grids & Integration

The grid needs to modernize to meet a booming demand for electricity, which is only predicted to grow even further in coming years. IEC Standards are key to help with the transition.

Large-scale solar + storage deployment is the main option left to avoid power shortages, as they can be deployed much faster than new thermal and hydro assets. Recent gigawatt-scale solar + storage auction results, with a record low price of INR 3.4/kWh, show that such deployment will be highly economical, says a new study from the University of California’s India Energy and Climate Center.

The adoption of smart technologies is reshaping the utilities industry, with a particular focus on smart grids. Smart grids leverage advanced sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and real-time data analytics to transform how electricity is generated, distributed, and consumed.

In its latest monthly column for pv magazine, IEA-PVPS provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art practices, best practices, and recommendations for managing reactive power amidst the growing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). The article describes the regulatory frameworks and practical applications, underscoring the essential role of reactive power management in maintaining a stable and efficient power grid.

SolarPower Europe argues in a new position paper that regulators and policymakers should create a sector-specific strategy to address the growing threat of cyberattacks.

Researchers in Spain has found that combining PV power generation with fuel cells and battery storage may help homes considerably reduce their levelized cost of energy. Their simulation reportedly demonstrated homes may also become completely self-sufficient.

Polish grid operator Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE) has announced its third disconnection of renewable energy capacity this year. This time it has initiated the reduction of 1,201 MW to 1,877 MW of PV in response to oversupply.

Researchers from Norway have discovered that adding batteries to projects that combine hydropower and floating PV could increase annual profits by as much as 2%, due to revenues from ancillary services and capacity markets.

The project will modernise Dehradun city’s power network infrastructure by introducing an advanced and climate-resilient underground cable system comprising 537 km subterranean cables, 354 ring main units, and 99 compact substations.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $250 million policy-based loan to strengthen the market for power trade and related ancillary services in India, facilitating the integration of intermittent renewable energy. The loan will also enable measures to improve the financial performance, corporate governance, and service quality of electricity distribution companies (DISCOM) and create a conducive environment for private sector investment.