Flexibility requirement for large-scale renewable energy integration in Indian power system: technology, policy and modeling options

摘要

This paper focuses on the Indian power sector's perspective, which has ambitious RE integration goals. With a fast evolving system configuration, flexibility-related challenges are high in India due to weak infrastructure, inefficient regulatory policies, and aggregated planning methods.This article presents the current status of the Indian power system detailing existing technology types, regulatory norms, and future targets. It further details a comprehensive review of relevant technical options, market mechanisms, and planning approaches for transitioning into a flexible power system for India. Comparative analysis with international experiences highlights the need for a major paradigm shift. A short-term transition towards becoming a flexible system can focus on developing adequate transmission infrastructure, exploiting available pumped hydro storage potential, and retrofitting existing coal-fired power plants. On longer term, innovating market mechanisms and regulatory changes should drive investment into emerging flexible resources such as DSR and storage. Planning for this transition should be designed using improved modeling and planning approaches that should focus on the interlinking of different sector-specific models.