Enabling electricity transition through solar and wind energy towards decarbonisation of power sector by 2030 in Gujarat, India
Student name: Ms Lathigara Anjali Dipakbhai
Guide: Mr Amit Kumar
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Alekhya Datta
Abstract: Electricity transition is a need to have greater share of clean energy mix to envision low carbon growth of power sector to fulfill INDCs target of India. Increasing negative effects due to fossil fuel combustion on the environment in addition to limited reserves have forced many countries to explore and change to environmentally friendly alternatives that are renewable to sustain the increasing energy demand. This study is about estimating the installable renewable energy potential and siting using ArcGIS, especially ground mounted solar PV and onshore wind of a renewable energy rich state of India, Gujarat according to land availability and techno-economic feasibility criteria. Extraction of preferable sites with potential is used for estimating yearly capacity addition target through a developed scenario consisting government plan and policy from 2022 to 2030. Analytical Hierarchy Process is used for estimating weightage (in %) of influential techno-economic and social criteria to do siting which would be result in feasible installable potential sites in MW at first go. This study will be concluded as potential saving of emission intensity by solar and wind if installed as per yearly target till 2030. However, ultimate aim and outcome of this study is to mitigate the projected demand through solar and wind by ensuring their maximum possible share in 40% non-fossil fuel based power generation and 24.2% in terms of RPO till 2030. This study would facilitate the working strategy for other states moving beyond the medium-term national goal of 175 GW of renewable capacity after 2022 which would most likely require consideration of more significant and stringent structural change to the infrastructure and policy and regulatory frameworks in the state or national level electricity system to provide confidence to policy-makers and private sector players that a significantly increasing share of renewable penetration is possible beyond 2022 therefore further detailed techno-economic analysis would be an action to be taken to accept the concept of electricity transition.
Keywords: Electricity Transition, Low carbon growth, GIS, Analytical Hierarchy Process, Solar and Wind energy
