STUDY TOUR IN GERMANY FOR INDIAN DELEGATION
Representatives from Indian States and Central Government travelled to Germany for a study tour on renewable energy organized by GIZ in coordination with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) from July 25–29, 2016. The delegation comprised of senior officials from fourteen different States responsible for promotion of renewable energies across the value chain including electricity distribution licensees, State Governments, Government of India, and electricity regulatory commissions. The trip focussed on sharing experiences on high penetration of renewable energies in the energy market of Germany. The key topics addressed were complex grid operation and management with large-scale integration of distributed generation, transition in energy markets, technological innovations in glass–glass photovoltaic modules, new operation and maintenance practices in photovoltaic power plants, electro-mobility, grid-scale battery storage, and flexible coal-based power generation technologies, etc. With respect to India, the model of a self-sustainable renewable energy village, such as Feldheim, Brandenburg is of utmost relevance. India is aiming to provide electricity to 59.8 million un-electrified households by 2018.
The delegation also visited Stadtwerke Leipzig (Municipal Utility in Leipzig) to understand the integration and management of renewables from the perspectives of a distribution system operator. India is experiencing an exponential growth of distributed generation, especially grid connected photovoltaic plants and distribution utilities in India are eager to share experiences with the German utilities.
Germany is a perfect example for India to achieve its target of 175 GW installed capacity by 2022, having increased its contribution from renewable energy to 28 per cent already and targeting to further increase it to 45–50 per cent by 2025. Within the context of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Germany’s Environment Ministry (BMUB) has been supporting the MNRE, Government of India, through a bilateral project focussed on ‘Integration of Renewable Energies in the Indian Electricity System’. The project is supporting Indian electricity distribution utilities to prepare themselves in adoption and management of increasing penetration of distributed generation.
Courtesy: sandeep.goel@giz.de