Grid monitor

Power joined the ‘smart’ club—think phones, homes, cars—15 years ago. Prasanth Gopalakrishnan, CEO and co-founder of Kalki Communication Technologies, was 25 then, and had finished his master’s in electrical engineering from Colorado State University, U.S. He was fascinated by the then brand-new concept of smart grids—a system that weaves computer intelligence and communications into the electricity distribution network. And makes for cleaner, more efficient power, healthier air, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. On returning to India, Gopalakrishnan set up Kalkitech, which provided power solutions based on the smart grid concept, in 1998. It offers, among other products, a smart grid meter, which reduces power pilferage by connecting the existing electricity meters to mobile devices to monitor consumption. The data collected can then be analysed—say, identifying higher consumption areas and peak hour usage patterns. This would optimise supply and pricing.

Smart grids also have large applications. For example, if a power plant running with a plant load factor (or average capacity utilisation) of 30% to 35% wants to step it up to 40%, by using smart grids it could achieve that by burning fuel more efficiently. It also means less emissions and a better utilisation of installed equipment. Accurate forecasts can be made on how much power needs to be sent to a particular area and how much needs to be stored. This means more stable grids.

By 2020, India aims to reduce industrial emissions by 20%, and Kalkitech’s schemes will directly affect around 600 industrial units, including 150 power sector units, as they look at improving efficiencies. Clients such as GE and ABB as well as investors—International Finance Corporation, South Asia Clean Energy Fund, who together committed $11.5 million (Rs 64.9 crore) in two phases—are convinced about the potential.

India’s smart grid market is around Rs 1,000 crore, but Kalkitech is eyeing a slice of the $50 billion global market as well in the next five years. “The business was always there, but people questioned the need for investing in it, till ‘green’ and ‘smart’ became buzzwords,” says Gopalakrishnan.