Rajasthan Sustainable Energy Transformation Dialogues: Deploying Energy Storage and Distributed Solar Energy in the Grid

Sustainable Energy Transformation (SET) initiative seeks to support Rajasthan in research and analysis that can help the state achieve its ambitious targets envisaged under its renewable energy (RE) policies. This is a collaborative initiative between WRI India and partner organizations, including Bask Research Foundation, Customised Energy Solutions (CES), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – GBC and Insight Development Consulting Group (IDCG). Under the initiative, Rajasthan Sustainable Energy Transition Dialogues is being organized to facilitate critical inputs from stakeholders and panel of experts on challenges and opportunities associated with energy storage and rooftop solar and discuss pathways to accelerate its integration to support Rajasthan’s clean energy future.

Rajasthan is India's leading renewable-rich state, accounting for 20% of the national RE potential. As per the Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy’ 2019, the target of solar power is 30 GW by 2025. However, the state has an ambition to surpass this milestone. Honorable Chief Minister Rajasthan in the Budget Speech on 10 February 2023, highlighted the pivotal role played by Rajasthan towards Clean Energy Transition through optimal utilization of Solar and Wind Energy. Apart from proposed installation of 11 GW renewable based generation plants in coming years, the need for Demand Side Management was also highlighted. If operators and power planners are to avoid future challenges (surplus RE capacity, transmission capacity expansion, operational limit of coal generation assets) due to high RE penetration in the grid, energy storage at the grid level will be necessary. In this context, we seek to share our study findings and launch the report on “Estimating Energy Storage Requirements for Rajasthan Grid by 2030”, to support the Government of Rajasthan, state regulatory commission, state power utilities, and system operator in the journey towards transition to high RE by 2030.

The state has also given emphasis on distributed renewable by setting a target to achieve 4,000 MW of distributed RE generation by 2024-25 and to develop 33 district headquarters as ‘Green Energy Cities’ in next 5 years by installing 300 MW of Solar Rooftop Systems in a phased manner, as per Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy’ 2019. Distributed solar energy generation systems are the efficient ways of utilization of solar energy which brings benefit of reduced transmission & distribution losses and savings in cost of establishing additional transmission infrastructure because of generation of power at load centers. In this context, we shall also share our study findings on survey analysis for residential, institutional, and industrial (MSMEs) consumers with the objective to understand the current energy mix and RE penetration among these consumers along with the challenges faced by them in adoption of RE.

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