Microgrid Energy Storage: Enhancing Energy Security in Indian Communities

Microgrid energy storage is the game-changer in ensuring energy security for Indian communities, especially those in far-flung and underserved areas. It presents a sustainable alternative approach to the traditional centralised grid, decreasing energy loss during the transmission phase, lowering carbon footprints, and cutting dependence on fossil fuels.

November 14, 2024. By News Bureau

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Transmission and distribution

ARENQ

Akash Nayak

The global energy map is changing due to the demand for reliable, sustainable, and affordable alternative solutions to ensure energy security for all. With a centralised grid, providing an uninterrupted round-the-clock supply of electricity to all citizens is very difficult. A centralised grid is highly susceptible to disruptions; even a tiny fluctuation can paralyse the entire network, affecting all sectors, including emergency services.

In addition to that, nearly 3.5 percent of the electricity is lost in the transmission phase as the energy has to cover long distances. In that regard, microgrid energy storage has emerged as the critical solution, enabling a decentralised approach to address access and sustainability challenges to ensure energy security for communities residing in remote off-grid areas.

Local Energy Solutions for Continuous Power Availability
These small-scale energy systems can be built and operated independently or in conjunction with the primary power grid. Microgrids have their own energy sources; they can supply electricity in the areas where they are located. They are also built on the islanding principle, which allows them to provide an uninterrupted power supply to their endpoint users even when the main grid is offline. This partial separation from the main network ensures that the energy flow remains unaffected in the microgrids.

Surplus Energy Storage Ensuring Off-season Supply
In microgrid systems, energy is generally produced through solar PV cells and wind turbines, which are highly susceptible to environmental conditions affecting their generation capacity. Photovoltaic cells generate less power on cloudy days or during winter months, and wind turbines also go idle when weather conditions are unfavourable. A microgrid system with an energy storage facility neutralises these environmental anomalies by storing surplus energy. In such circumstances, the energy stored in the batteries during peak hours can be used later, thereby not interrupting power for the local communities. For instance, Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh uses solar energy stored during the day at night.

An Economic Alternative for Sparsely Populated Areas
Microgrid energy storage systems are cost-effective for supplying electricity to communities in far-flung areas. In remote hilly regions or sparsely populated rural areas, extending the centralised grid is not only impractical due to a relatively high cost but also due to logistical challenges. In such regions, a small-scale energy production system can be set up to meet only the population's demand. Solar rooftops can also be incorporated into these microgrids, enabling people to contribute to energy production and transmit their surplus electricity to local storage.

Minimising Energy Loss in Transmission and Distribution
In a centralised system, a lot of energy is lost in the transmission phase as the electricity has to run through an extensive and lengthy network of wires. However, in a microgrid, energy is generated locally, stored locally, and supplied to a limited number of people residing in the area, reducing energy loss. The saved energy could then be infused into the central grid and provided to the regions short on supply.

Reducing Reliance on Fossil Fuels and Lowering Carbon Footprint
India's centralised power grid heavily relies on fossil fuel-based thermal power plants, primarily coal imported from outside. From April to December 2022, India imported about 44.8 MT of coal to produce electricity, meaning that the country’s energy security largely also depends on imports. In addition, the use of fossil fuels in thermal power plants results in increased carbon emissions. Microgrid energy storage addresses that issue as well. Small grids primarily rely on renewable sources, significantly reducing emissions and import bills.

Conclusion
Microgrid energy storage is the game-changer in ensuring energy security for Indian communities, especially those in far-flung and underserved areas. It presents a sustainable alternative approach to the traditional centralised grid, decreasing energy loss during the transmission phase, lowering carbon footprints, and cutting dependence on fossil fuels. Despite the high front-end costs, maintenance at scheduled intervals, and grid integration, new technological innovations, supportive government policy, and financing models are gradually overcoming these difficulties. Given these benefits, IREDA is investing heavily in the microgrids with over 140 microgrids in the pipeline for regions in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. With time, the more accessible the technology becomes, the more promising microgrids will become for India in terms of resilient, reliable energy supply for Indian communities.

- Akash Nayak, Director, ARENQ