FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has conducted a study that has identified strategies to ensure 24x7 reliable power supply to the people of Goa.
TERI is an independent, multi-dimensional organisation, with capabilities in research, policy, consultancy, and implementation.
Their study on Goa is titled ‘Greening the Sector and Improving the Reliability of Power Supply’ and it focuses on identifying strategies for effective load management to cater to the growing demand as well as strategies for increasing the share of green power within the supply mix.
The study has observed that power demand in Goa has increased steadily over the past six years and that it’s expected to double within the next 15 years. According to the study, the per capita consumption of power in the State has also nearly doubled the national average over the years. The study further stated that despite the State of Goa having already achieved 100% electrification, various challenges continue to hamper the efforts of the State in ensuring 24x7 reliable electricity supply to all its citizens.
“On the supply-side, it is important not only to meet the ever-growing demand for power but also to progressively increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in the generation mix to achieve overall energy security and to also meet the renewable purchase obligation (RPO) as per the target fixed by Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) from time to time,” read an extract from the study.
TERI has identified four strategies in this study, which they say can help in ensuring a 24x7 reliable power supply to all the consumers in Goa.
The first strategy is for the deployment of smart grid technologies for peak load and outage management. The second strategy is about the promotion of consumer-side demand management interventions. While the third strategy calls for the up-gradation and augmentation of transmission and distribution networks, the final strategy talks about increasing local generation through renewable energy (RE) sources.
“The importance of reliable power for a growing economy cannot be overemphasized as the economy is becoming more and more dependent on electricity for everything. This study suggests a way forward for increasing the quality and reliability of power supply and greening the power sector for the State of Goa which will be of immense value to policymakers in establishing the need for additional investments and identifying the appropriate mix of resources to meet the growing power demand of the State,” says Narayankumar Sreekumar, TERI Associate Director.
Elaborating further about the study, Sreekumar explained that accelerated adoption of energy-efficient appliances among consumers is one of the key demand-side management (DSM) measures. On that note, he emphasied that it is imperative that comprehensive load research and integrated resource planning studies are carried out periodically.
“It is also crucial to ensure grid modernization utilizing smart grid technologies as a fault-proof efficient distribution network for maintaining a reliable power supply among the people of the State,” he added.
On the supply side, Sreekumar pointed out that not only is it important to meet the ever-growing demand for power but that it’s also important to progressively increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in the generation mix to achieve the overall goal of environmental sustainability.
“There is a need for a long-term strategy, based on cost-effectiveness and availability, for increasing the ‘green’ energy share in the supply mix. Owing to the variable nature and spatial distribution of renewable energy sources, the development of robust and reliable intra-state and inter-state transmission connectivity is crucial for facilitating this transition,” said Sreekumar.
“Thus, effective demand-side management implementation, well-defined power planning strategy, and ensuring adequate investments in building resilient transmission and sub-transmission systems can be considered as the building blocks in ensuring reliable electricity supply to the people of Goa,” he added.
