ANNOUNCEMENTS
Energy transition is the need of the hour and it warrants a whole system approach to address challenges in envisioning a zero-carbon future and developing key solutions to ensure the availability, reliability and affordability of clean energy across a plethora of applications and geographies. Decarbonization goals and net zero targets can only be realized when the grid infrastructure and the transmission and distribution networks are equipped to augment and utilize large surges of green energy production at instances when the demand is either low, high or optimum. This flexible optimization and control of green energy bears a critical role in assuring progress towards energy transition and enhances the quantum of RE in the global energy mix.
India’s energy market faces a widespread uncertainty in essentially understanding and navigating the Centre and State energy and regulatory policies and frameworks, ISTS charges for energy transmission and distribution, coupled with reluctance of participation in uptake of renewable energy by multiple stakeholders through open access routes and captive generation, has essentially decelerated the momentum for clean energy transition in India. DER’s are understandably the building blocks in envisaging a resilient energy system and the implementation of smart mini-grids and micro-grids within townships and mega-housing projects provides the impetus for addressing concerns of greening the grid and addressing the variability issues inherent to DRE systems.
Auroville is an experimental township located in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu. It spreads across a total area of 5 km2 of regenerated tropical forest with a current population of 3500 residents and the city is constantly evolving for a planned population of 50,000 residents. The Auroville Smart Mini-Grid project aims at demonstrating how electricity grids can make the transition towards a net zero carbon future. The AVSMG proposes to implement innovative and pioneering solutions, such as distributed clean energy generation, short duration energy storage assets (<4 hours), real-time demand side response through DAC protocol, energy efficiency, smart metering, cutting-edge consumer energy data acquisition systems with grid asset monitoring and management dashboards to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of implementing smart (mini) grids powered by 100% renewable energy for municipalities, townships and SEZ’s.
