Sterlite Power, a global developer in power transmission, has signed an agreement with U.S.-based Smart Wires to introduce technology for the electric market in India for grid management.

The technology named ‘SmartValve^TM’ is expected to allow utilities to optimize the use of their existing transmission capacity and enhance grid flexibility.

Speaking on the technology agreement, Pratik Agarwal, managing director, Sterlite Power, said, “An environmentally sustainable electricity system is the anchor for a modern society. We are growing at an incredible pace and need to look for innovative solutions for rising grid outages due to climate change, lack of land to build new lines, and integration of renewable energy. Modernizing the grid to make it ‘smarter’ by cutting-edge technology is going to disrupt the landscape, and technology is going to be the game-changer in this field.”

According to the company’s statement, “Power networks in India have been facing major transmission congestion challenges due to exponential growth in demand for power and rapid urbanization. Congestion is often seen in sub-transmission lines, where it is a challenge to connect renewable power. In this context, alleviating congestion and enhancing grid flexibility becomes critical.”

Manish Agarwal, CEO, Solutions, Sterlite Power, told Mercom that electric grids have become extremely challenging to manage due to a rapidly changing generation mix, evolving power consumption patterns, and the permits for new lines.

“Utilities are demanding more flexible and economic solutions and recognize that opportunities exist to increase the efficiency of their existing grids and that they can capture more value from it. Smart Wires provides a revolutionary intelligent “valve” that allows utilities to quickly and inexpensively capture excess capacity that exists on their grids today. By dynamically increasing or decreasing line reactance, SmartValve solutions control the flow of power,” he added.

When asked about the regions of the country that are expected to be attractive, Agarwal said, “Renewable integration and relieving network congestion in cities see the maximum benefits with this technology. Regions with high renewable penetration are evaluating the technology. Additionally, we are looking at the Southern and Western regions.”

Based on a report prepared by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID’s) GTG program, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Power (MoP), National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), and Ethree (Energy + Environmental Economics), Mercom recently reported that India’s power sector is shifting from long-term generation contracts to a greater reliance on short-term contracts and electricity spot markets.

Earlier, it was reported that the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) had approved a pilot project for peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions of power from rooftop solar systems using blockchain-based technology.

Image credit: 123df [CC BY-SA 3.0]