Smart grids

In a bid to avoid costly grid augmentation, Spanish electric vehicle (EV) charger supplier Wallbox has designed a multi-layered energy intelligence solution – proving that necessity is the mother of invention.

To increase the share of renewable energy, India needs to introduce demand-side measures like time-of-use tariffs, develop a well-connected national grid, deploy various energy storage options for grid balancing services, and convert its fossil-fuel-powered fleet to operate flexibly.

While the current policy regime supports the adoption of flexible resources like batteries, grid flexibility and resilience require more focus and a range of calibrated efforts, including due acknowledgment as a sector priority and robust planning at the central and state level. The upcoming union budget provides an opportunity for the government to develop flexible and resilient grids.

The present system of the energy sector is centralized due to which the prosumer’s and consumers’ direct connection is yet to be formed. It’s due to persisting challenges like transaction efficiency, security and data transparency in the Indian energy market. The blockchain is a data-driven technology that helps create a very transparent process in data sharing among the peers involved in the system and sort out the challenges persisting in the energy market.

To achieve its sustainability targets, Southeast Asia will require integrated strategy and execution across generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as planning that balances both capital and operational expenditures. The regional power industry will need partners who can merge data analytics with engineering expertise to deliver timely and actionable insights that realize the full potential of assets and facilities.

Siemens has deployed its EnergyIP meter data management system for over 2,00,000 smart meters in North Delhi, enabling the timely and accurate collection of electricity meter data digitally. The advanced metering infrastructure will pave the way for the deployment of Smart Grids across the country.

Power generated by renewable sources and corresponding action taken by business layers is not predictable. So it’s imperative that the latest controls are leveraged in the service of smart grids.

The company expects the first phase of growth in the Indian electric vehicle market coming from commercial vehicles. It has been quick to capitalize on the opportunity by partnering with Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland.

The partnership will lead to enhanced power system modeling backed with rich data-sets to identify interventions for addressing power sector problems like grid instability.

India’s Department of Science & Technology and the Swedish Energy Agency have launched a collaborative funding program for Indian and Swedish companies that aim to jointly develop new technologies, services and processes in the area of smart grids.