Coal is the prime source of energy in India and as per draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog, coal will remain as an important source of energy and electricity even in near future due to abundance of coal in India and that too at a cheaper rate. The total number coal mines in Coal India Ltd. (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), Public and Private Sectors as on 31 March, 2017 and total annual production from these mines during 2016-17 is given below.
Out of 121 prospective member countries that lie either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 61 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA.
The idea and concept behind the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is part of the prime Minister of India’s vision to provide clean and affordable energy to all. This vision was formally presented to the Heads of the diplomatic Missions of eligible member countries of the ISA in India on 30 July 2015. In his statement at the inaugural ceremony of the third India-Africa Forum Summit on 29 October 2015, the Prime Minister of India invited the African countries to join the alliance of solar-rich countries and stated that the goal is to make solar energy an integral part of our life and reach it to the most unconnected villages and communities.
During the visit of Prime Minister of Canada H.E. Mr. Justin Trudeau to India on February 23, 2018, Government of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Natural Resources of Canada concerning cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
The share of nuclear power generation was about 3.4% in India in the calendar year 2016. The corresponding share in United States of America and Germany was about 19.7% and 13.1% respectively. The share of nuclear power generation is country specific and depends on other sources of electricity generation deployed in the country.
Closed nuclear fuel cycle is being followed in India treating spent nuclear fuel as a material of resource instead of nuclear waste. The closed fuel cycle aims at recovery and recycle of fuel elements, separation of useful isotopes such as Cs (Caesium) and Sr (Strontium) for use in health care and industry. The spent fuel is reprocessed to recover the fuel elements like Uranium and Plutonium for recycling back in the reactor for generation of power in second stage of Indian nuclear power programme.
A capacity expansion is planned by setting up nuclear power reactors at various green field sites. On completion of the green field site projects which have been accorded administrative approval and financial sanction, the installed nuclear power capacity would increase by 7000 MW by the year 2031.
In most of the states, the allocation from Central Generating Stations is less than the demand of the state. Electricity is a concurrent subject. It is the responsibility of the State Government to arrange power from various sources - state’s own generation, power exchanges, other states to meet the requirement of the state.
The Government of India has enacted the Electricity Act, 2003 to consolidate the laws relating to generation, transmission, distribution, trading and use of electricity and generally for taking measures conducive to development of electricity industry and for protecting the interest of consumers. Reform is an ongoing process and hence the amendments to Electricity Act are being carried out as and when required after due consultation with various Stakeholders.
The capacity of transmission lines depends on various factors like voltage level, conductor configuration, line length, inter-connection arrangement etc. As on 28 February 2018, a total of 3,87,383 ckm of transmission lines (220 kV and above) exists in India.
The total Outage Losses due to water shortage reported by the stations in the year 2017-18, up to February, 2018, are about 3400 Million Units (MU), which is about 0.38% of total coal and lignite based generation during the period. Last year, in 2016-17, the total losses were 9565.2 million units.
The Government of India has launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) to address the challenges of rural electrification. Apart from implementation of village electrification, the scheme includes feeder separation, augmentation and strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution system. It also envisages close monitoring at Central level through inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee, at State Level Standing Committee (SLSC), headed by Chief Secretary and at the District level, through DISHA.
The Southern Region (SR) is connected with the North-East West Region (NEWR) through various inter-regional AC links at 220 kV, 400 kV, 765 kV level and HVDC link. With the commissioning of new transmission lines, the grid connectivity upstream and downstream of the main NEWR-SR corridor has further strengthened.
Battery Energy Storage is an upcoming area for grid stability and rural electrification with microgrids. Power Sector is facing many conflicting situations affecting the stakeholders. The two day workshop will deliberate on issues regarding battery energy storage, its testing, quality analysis & battery management systems and microgrids.