Solar-wind hybrid power priority in capacity addition

India's renewable energy capacity addition plans of 500 gigawatt (GW) by 2030 are moving to the next level, with many hybrid solar-wind combined projects taking off.

While solar projects connected to the grid are dependent on the availability of sun and storing energy is an issue, hybrid solar systems provide power continuously without any interruption, as the batteries connected to them can store the energy.

Experts say excess energy produced during sunny days can be stored in hybrids, apart from advantages like low maintenance cost, high efficiency, better load management, etc. Sources say the country already has developed about 1.3 GW of wind solar hybrid and another 11GW are either in planning or implementation stage.

Adani Hybrid Energy Jaisalmer One, a subsidiary of Adani Green Energy (AGEL), commissioned a 390MW hybrid power generation plant in Rajasthan in the last quarter. Claimed to be India's first major hybrid power plant, it will deliver energy at a tariff of ₹2.69 for each kilowatt-hour. This tariff is well below the average power procurement cost (APPC) at the national level, say Adani sources.

Tata Power Green Energy, a subsidiary of Tata Power, commissioned a 225-megawatt hybrid power project in Rajasthan on August 2. The power generated from the project will be supplied to Tata Power's Mumbai Distribution under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) valid for 25 years.

In the 9.13 GW of projects tendered in the second quarter of 2022, many projects are for hybrid power. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar (RUMSL), on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh government, plans to develop 750 MW grid connected wind-solar hybrid projects in Madhya Pradesh.

NTPC Renewable Energy is developing 600 MW of wind-solar projects and has invited tenders for inter-state power evacuation partners. Tata Power, Amp Energy, NTPC, and SJVN are among the winners in bids of Solar Energy Corporation of India's 1,200 MW interstate wind-solar hybrid projects.

DCM Shriram and ReNew Power signed two Captive Power Agreements (CPAs) this week to supply 50 MW of renewable energy from the ReNews' two upcoming hybrid projects in Gujarat's Bhavnagar to DCM Shriram’s Chlor-Alkali manufacturing facility in Gujarat's Bharuch district.

In February, ReNew had set up Gujarat’s first wind-solar hybrid project at the Chlor-Alkali unit of Grasim Industries in Vilayat in Bharuch.

"Now wind-solar hybrid and round-the-clock (RTC) projects, with battery storage are a key focus area and important in maintaining grid-stability. The hybrid projects also help in optimising the same land and transmission systems," says Gyanesh Chaudhary, vice chairman and managing director of Vikram Solar, leading solar equipment maker in India.