Dr. Rahul Walawalkar-IESA Appointed to CERC’s Central Advisory Committee 

CERC has selected Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, President of IESA to be a part of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) of the power regulator

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), the power sector regulator in India has appointed Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, President, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), India’s leading alliance on energy storage & e-mobility to be a part of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC). As a part of the CAC, Dr. Walawalkar will advise the Commission on major questions of policy, matters relating to quality, continuity, and extent of service provided by licensees, protection of consumer interest, and overall standards of performance by utilities. 

Dr. Walawalkar, President, IESA opined, that IESA is honoured to be a part of Central Advisory Committee of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). And that it has been closely working with CERC for the past few years and has given recommendations in the past to bring necessary amendments in the present regulatory framework to include storage as part of these regulations. 

“We are happy to see such developments in IEGC grid code regulations, connectivity regulations, etc. However, there are proven, and immediate steps needed to be taken up in terms of opening opportunity for storage as part of ancillary services, behind-the-meter applications, grid security needs, etc.” 

Through the latest appointment, Dr. Walawalkar hopes IESA will be able to add value in shaping the Indian regulatory structure involving energy storage, e-mobility, and charging infrastructure and put reliable power sector needs in front of the commission successfully. Walawalkar CERC

As part of the new role, IESA will support CERC with key policy and regulatory aspects as given below: 

1. Give suggestions towards necessary amendments in the current CERC regulations and guidelines and including suitable clauses related to storage and EV part of Indian regulations.
2. Lend necessary support in calculating/arriving tariff parameters for storage projects (Independent Grid Asset Standalone Project/ RE Hybrid Project) 
3. Detailed work on CERC regulations wherein storage clauses can be defined/included.
4. Advocacy towards the need for setting up energy storage targets in India.
5. Evaluate the use of energy storage for deferring upgrade of transmission assets to reduce renewable generation curtailment or meeting load growth. 
6. Formulate a regulatory framework to monetize the value of firming/smoothing of solar power,  ramp rate control, peak shifting, demand response, etc. 
7. Suitable amendments to encourage RE+ storage supported EV charging stations. Special Tariff category for such units/projects.