RENEWABLE ENERGY : 

POSSIBILITIES IN THE NORTH EASTERN INDIA 

( SOLAR AND WIND SECTOR ) 

AN EXCERPT OF MY SPEECH AT THE NATIONAL POWER SUMMIT AT HYDERABAD ON 08/02/2018

https://youtu.be/N5o0nqUI6a8( see in browser)

I want to discuss some important issues related to renewable energy development, including the Hydro sector in the Nort Eastern Region of India. 

As you all know, this region has a lot of hills and waterbodies, and land is very scarce. The available land is very fertile agricultural land and can not be used for solar plants. 

Further, the radiation level at Northeast is very low and in the range of 13-16 per cent CUF(capacity utilisation factors) against the base level of 19 per cent. It makes solar power economically less viable. 

The CUF in states like Rajasthan and Ladakh is 25 per cent, and in other states like Madhya Pradesh, Telangana etc is above 20 per cent. This means the generation cost in Rajasthan with 25 per cent CUF is around Rs 2.00, and the same plant, if installed in Assam, will be around Rs 4 plus ( considering a 25 paisa increase in rates for one per cent lower CUF.) So investors are not inclined to invest in the private solar plant in these states as the solar energy produced here is available at a very high cost, and there will be no buyer for such power.

 In the case of wind energy, this region has a very high potential for only four months of the year and a balance of 8 months; wind potential is very low. This made the investors not come up for wind plants in these areas. Of course, some small wind turbines of the Kw range are being put in the hilly areas as the cost of transmitting conventional power to the hill areas where the population are in the range of 10-20 families is not found suitable or very costly. In those places, wind or solar lamps are used comparatively cheaper than conventional energy with storage batteries.

As the major thermal power stations of the country are going to be out of the grid gradually as it has a lot of environmental issues and the production reserve ratio is also coming down drastically, the cost of imported coal makes the generation cost very high.

This area has a lot of potential for Hydro and mini-hydro projects. The major potential is at Arunachal Pradesh, which is geologically fragile and in the neo-Himalayan range. After many studies, the hydro sites are to be chosen, and mega power plants with large storage need to be avoided, which may create serious problems for the downstream populations.

If we go on only solar and wind without battery backups and thermal stations are gradually put out of the grid, a situation be imaginable. Solar power with battery backups will be in the same range as hydro if the infrastructure cost of making road bridges is removed from the project cost and the state / central government bears the same. The construction period of a Hydro station is at least five years after all clearances. As such future energy policy is required to be finalised now. There will be serious issues for solar or wind energy storage, as Lithium is a scarce metal used in such batteries. of course, alternatives are being under research. Still, we have to think about the total requirements of batteries for electric Cars, rickshaws, solar / wind power storage and the latter; their disposal will also be an issue. 

Therefore, The energy policy should not be on a pan-India basis but on a regional basis. Solar power available at Rs 2.00 without any wheeling charges is available at Assam, almost at the same rate; why will Assam go for a solar power station in Assam?

Alternative studies of wind and solar hybrid stations and floating solar in reservoirs are still experimental. New solar cell technology is coming up with an efficiency of nearly 25 per cent plus may lower solar prices further, but batteries for storage will be a big issue. We have to go to Hydro today or tomorrow; the sooner, the better, but not on a mega scale but creating either run of the river scheme or smaller reservoirs.