Germany’s GIZ to Help Southern India Balance its Renewable Resources

Germany’s GIZ has commissioned a study for southern India to aid in balancing the energy supply from wind and solar and energy demand in the region

DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body, has been contracted by Germany’s development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to conduct a major control reserve study for the southern region of India. It is the first control reserve study to be conducted in this part of the world and aims to quantify the control reserve requirements that are needed to balance the energy supply from wind and solar and energy demand, according to the renewable energy (RE) plans of India’s southern states by 2022.

The study is a further element in India’s drive towards expanding renewable energy. It forms a part of the Indo-German Energy Programme (IGEN), a joint initiative of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) implemented by GIZ India. The study was carried out on behalf of the Southern Regional Power Committee (SRPC), a Government of India enterprise, and covered the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

“India is a regional and global industrial powerhouse, consuming more than 6600 TWh of energy every year. Hence, its plan to grow renewable energy is both bold and promising. Because of these factors, this study proves to be a key step towards ensuring the quality of the energy supply within this plan,” said Markus Wypior, officer for implementation at GIZ.

For the study, DNV GL utilised its Renewable Energy Integration Study and Control Reserve Dimensioning Services to quantify the secondary and the tertiary control reserve requirements that will enable optimal sharing of power between the states. Dimensioning of the states’ control reserves will help ensure efficient and cost-effective integration of large-scale renewable energy supplies.

“India is in the midst of a very ambitious journey that will put it at the forefront of the global energy transition. This study, implemented for the southern states, with support from GIZ, would serve as a prime example of the Indian government’s commitment to making this journey a success. DNV GL is proud to play an active role in enabling the country’s green energy transition. The expertise from our 2,300 energy experts around the globe will be of great value for India,” said Nicolas Renon, Executive Vice President APAC, at DNV GL – Energy

The firm will provide recommendations to the SRPC for control reserve requirement identification based on the final report.