Smart Grid - Indian Relevance

Smart Grid and its Indian relevance

“A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology to save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability and transparency. Such a modernized electricity network is being promoted by many governments as a way of addressing energy independence, global warming and emergency resilience issues” – wikipedia, April 2009.

Well, that definition may seem a little vague with respect to the applicability and practicality in the Indian context. However, with the increase in demand of power and consequent generation capacity augmentations, it is inevitable that the transmission and distribution system should also gear up to evacuate and distribute electricity more efficiently. This is because power shortage is not merely a function of just the production, but also of huge losses. If the transmission and distribution losses are covered or reduced to an extent, it’ll be a huge contribution to India’s Power sector, and in turn on the entire economy.

Additionally, today utilities need to address a variety of business and social issues associated with the environment. They must also constantly improve how they manage their transmission and distribution assets as well as their generation portfolio in order to keep pace with their customers’ increasing peak electricity demands. With limited options, many electric utilities are investing in smart grids: intelligent electricity transmission and distribution networks that use two-way communications to make power delivery more efficient, reliable, and safe; and to help customers better control their energy use. One vital part of the solution to leverage the existing infrastructure is to implement a smart grid. Hence, a smart grid is an electrical system that becomes increasingly more self-healing and self-operating.

A smart grid, as defined by some industry groups, integrates new innovative tools and technologies with the T&D system that connects the entire grid all the way from generation to appliances and equipment inside consumer’s homes. A smart grid would create a digital energy system that will:

Detect and address emerging problems on the system before they affect service,
Respond to local and system-wide inputs and have much more information about broader system problems,
Incorporate extensive measurements, rapid communications, centralized advanced diagnostics, and feedback control that quickly return the system to a stable state after interruptions or disturbances.

The evolution of smart grid can be mapped broadly in the following sequences – Manual Meter Reading → Automatic Meter Reading → Advanced Metering Infrastructure → Smart Meters → Smart Grid.

Quite obviously, implementation of Smart Grids in the power system involves huge amount of technical literacy not only on the part of the service providers but also on the part of consumers as a whole. They should be aware of their future consumption and requirement of demand.

So, when the demand supply gap in India is hovering around 11-12%, the AT&C Losses are looming over 32% and pilferage of electricity is a common menace, how effective will it be to implement Smart Grids in India?

Considering the state of power infrastructure and current metering conditions how much viable do you feel will Smart Grids be in addressing those issues?

Do you feel that it will be a revolutionary and beneficial ‘leap-frog’ from the manual meter reading concept most widely prevalent now in India? If it be so, how much cost effective will be its implementation?

Will it be able to provide the much needed stability to ava

Replies

Posted By: Nupur Srivastava- Green Consultant (Cicada Green Consultants (P) Ltd.) - 7/18/2010

Yes ofcourse it will be a revolutionary and beneficial 'leap-frog' from the manual meter reading concept; though the task will not so easy but if the approch is well planned and systematic then it will produce good results.
In India a general saying is "Saving of one unit of electricity is the generation of two units" and this is only due to T&D losses. So if the concepts of Smart Grd and Smart Metering are applied then it will be a win-win situation for both the consumers and the utility companies.

Posted By: Sundarrao Jammi- CONSULTANT (SPINTELLIGENT) - 4/4/2010

Today "Smart Grids" , "Smart meters " have become buzz words in the Indian utility context also like rest of the "Smart world". As it was mentioned Indian power distribution sector being so complex , in my view , for success of these initiatives following approach could be looked at .
A). Know your Customer (KY C) : Today most of the problems for utilities are because of lack of knowledge about their customers. In fact utilities should start calling "consumers" as 'customers" ; know about their needs and then evolve strategies to satisfy the customers. In summary, consumer profiling and building a authentic customer information base is essential and Smart meters deliver the best results in this arena. Now the question is where to begin and how to extend. Naturally deployment of Smart meters should start at high revenue yield customer points like Industrial and high end commercial establishments . After accomplishing the stated objectives at this customer base , and gaining some improved cash flows the deployment should extend further to individual customers.
B) Another most important area to be focused is simultaneous improvements in distribution network infrastructure like revamping the entire net work to minimise technical losses and provide efficient power evacuation
C) Real time monitoring and control through SCADA is another essential component followed by DA/DMS. without which a Smart Grid implementation is not complete. In the Indian context down stream initiatives like talking to the appliances through HAN etc is an idea which can wait for some more time.
D) Finally for effective and efficient implementation of SMART GRID initiatives an APEX body must be formed at National level comprising all stake holders from utilities, vendors, technologists, policy makers , regulators and customers with an objective to formulate various templates for effective implementation through appropriate policies and enablers .

Posted By: Praveen Kumar Goyal- Dy Chief of Party (PA Consulting) - 2/10/2010

Smart metering is going to be an integral part of the Smart grid application. I concur with your view point. The Smart Grid concept and its implementation should not only monitor on real time basis the performance of distribution transformer but keeping in consideration the present requirements it should also have the controls in built for DTs and at least few strategic nodal locations monitored and controlled through network sensors / intelligent field contained self devices.

A trade off is required to be considered besides testing the new technologies and concepts. Pre paid meters today does not have the facility for two way communications but as per manufacturer's verdict it can be incorporated without much technical difficulty. Moreover the rural areas in India requires altogether a different approach for Smart grid applications there vis-à-vis urban areas.

Posted By: Raghu- Technology Strategist (Honeywell Technology Solution Labs) - 1/15/2010

Smart Grid for India is a boon as it would help rationalize the huge generation capacity building exercise. Specific to India where most problems lie in the distribution side of the electricity value chain, such as power theft, meter tampering, bill default etc., first step in this direction should be a pilot Smart Metering project alongwith Real-time remote monitoring and metering of distribution transformers. As this would help for an holistic understanding of the consumption and supply reconciliation alongwith asset efficiency management. Pre-paid metering is more a short term solution than long-term as it definitely limits the two-communication which is wher the future lies.

Pages - 1