The Importance of Renewable Hybrid Solutions in India

Amar Variawa
Director Marketing & Public Affairs India and SE Asia Vestas Wind Technology India Pvt Ltd
Published on 18th July 2018

In India, land is our scarcest resource. That’s why wind and hybrid solutions with various renewable energy sources make so much sense to optimize the resources like land, transmission infrastructure, etc. The hybrid solutions could be either greenfield or a brownfield; could be co-located or separated.

In May 2018, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced an ambitious hybrid policy, where existing sites will be used to house both wind parks and solar arrays. This is important, as just 10 years from now, land will become even more scarce. A bit different approach where solar and wind are in abundance will allow us to develop both existing and new sites with hybrid plants, where they are deemed most effective.

Even today, in India, we are always concerned about security of supply and stability of grid over a 24-hour cycle. Our industrial load is heaviest during daytime, the evening witnesses the domestic AC and TV drawing power, and farmers draw their load for irrigation during the night. On the other hand, neither solar nor wind were consistent enough alone to deliver a secure stream and were considered unpredictable.

But now, with hybrid solutions, solar delivers power during day peak while wind energy takes care of evening peak and night load. Combine this with advanced battery storage and we get a stable source of power to the grid over the 24-hour cycle. Recently, MNRE has announced the tender of 2.5 GW for wind-solar hybrid project which will prove to be a real game changer in India. This large-scale grid connected, utility project will change the definition of energy mix for the generation to come. It will spur more innovation and technology advancement.

As we all know, India has ambitious targets to add unprecedented level of RE power into the grid. This drive has potential to enable India to meet energy security by utilising more natural and sustainable sources which will have no carbon footprints. The complementary strength of wind and solar through hybrid solutions takes care of not only 24-hour load pattern but also ensure power continuity, grid stability as well as the most efficient and optimised usage of our valuable land. It makes absolute sense…!