Solar Photovoltaic Grid Penetration Study in Tamil Nadu

AUROVILLE, India - Nov. 8, 2016 - PRLog -- Climate change has been serious concern for governments and international pressure to mitigate it, has lead policy-makers to set higher renewable energy targets year-on-year. Integration of renewable sources can be challenging for grid operators as renewable power is variable due to intermittent nature of energy received from sun and wind. Also conventional grid is designed and operated in large power plants to many consumers and has limited flexibility to accept energy from consumers. Even though this task looks like nightmare but in reality most of these can be handled by modern grid technologies like Smart Grid, OLTC, Static Var compensator, Energy Storage, etc.

Most electric utilities around the world are in process of upgrading there aging infrastructure to prepare for the future of energy management. But in the meanwhile these challenges are addressed using regulations with limiting uptake of renewable energy based out minimal or no experience.

Auroville Consulting with support from World Resource Institute under banner of Tamil Nadu Energy Governance Initiative has set up a pilot to study impact of higher solar penetration on selected distribution transformer in Tamil Nadu state. As part of this on going project monitoring devices were installed at several points on low tension (LT) side of distribution transformer micro-grid.

Study considers voltage and bi-directional energy flow at Low Tension (LT) are primary parameter for observation and reporting. With bidirectional energy meter(s) energy flow from the LT side to the HT side of the transformer and whether there is a voltage increase beyond acceptable limits. Voltage readings are also be taken at the tail ends of the LT feeders.

http://www.aurovilleconsulting.com/