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					</table>The U.S. Department of Energy (<a href="https://www.energy.gov/">DOE</a>) has introduced a comprehensive roadmap to expedite the integration of clean energy sources into the national transmission grid.
The Transmission Interconnection Roadmap outlines solutions for aligning interconnection processes with the increasing demand for renewable energy resources, which is driven by the rapid and widespread transition to clean energy.
The Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) roadmap, released in April 2024, offers a range of solutions to diverse interconnection stakeholders, addressing both short-term and long-term challenges in the transmission system interconnection process.
The swift decarbonization of the U.S. electricity grid has resulted in a sharp uptick in requests to connect new clean energy generation sources such as solar, wind, and battery storage to the transmission system.
Between 2000 and 2010, the United States saw an average of 500 to 1,000 new transmission interconnection requests annually. However, over the past decade, this number has surged to 2,500–3,000 annually—an increase of 300-500%.
This backlog of requests has the potential to impede the deployment of clean energy significantly and result in heightened expenses for both project developers and electricity consumers.
A recent report by DOE&#8217;s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/solar-storage-wind-queues-as-backlog-rises">reveals</a> a substantial increase in generation and storage capacity seeking grid interconnection, with nearly 2,600 GW actively in the queue.
This surge has led to uncertainties, delays, and added costs for developers, consumers, utilities, and regulators.
Since the <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/inflation-reduction-act-faster-transition-clean-energy-u-s">enactment</a> of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), over 1,200 GW of capacity (including more than 500 GW of solar, over 540 GW of storage, and 125 GW of wind) have applied for interconnection.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-65560 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture3-1.png" alt="" width="587" height="384" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture3-1.png 587w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture3-1-300x196.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 587px) 100vw, 587px" />
Interconnection procedures must adapt to accommodate the substantial volume of current and future requests. Moreover, technological advancements, particularly in data gathering, analysis, and software management systems, have opened up new possibilities for automating aspects of interconnection procedures.
The roadmap is structured around four key objectives, each essential to the overarching goal of the DOE i2X initiative: facilitating a simpler, quicker, and more equitable interconnection process for clean energy resources while enhancing the reliability, resilience, and security of our electrical grid.
This roadmap includes four target metrics for 2030 that can be measured using publicly available data:
<ul>
<li>Reduce the average time from interconnection request to interconnection agreement for completed projects to less than 12 months.</li>
<li>Decrease the variance of interconnection costs for all projects to less than $150 per kilowatt.</li>
<li>Increase completion rates for projects that enter the facility study phase to greater than 70%.</li>
<li>Eliminate annual North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) disturbance events involving unexpected tripping of IBRs that are not identified in the analysis due to inaccurate IBR models.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-65561 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4.png" alt="" width="975" height="380" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4.png 975w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4-300x117.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4-768x299.png 768w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4-650x253.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4-624x243.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Picture4-600x234.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" />
Transmission Interconnection Roadmap Goals
Goal 1: Enhance Data Accessibility, Transparency, and Security for Interconnection
Enhancing transparency in interconnection data would empower customers to evaluate and select potential projects, facilitate third-party modeling, streamline process automation, foster competition while ensuring fair outcomes, and enable the monitoring, tracking, and auditing of interconnection processes and improvements.
This objective acknowledges the importance of upholding data security through appropriate access control measures while expanding access to information regarding timelines, costs, and delays following the signing of an interconnection agreement (IA).
Solutions:
<ul>
<li>Enhance the breadth, accessibility, quality, and standardization of data pertaining to projects already in interconnection queues, encompassing project characteristics, cost projections, and post-IA information.</li>
<li>Improve the extent, timeliness, accuracy, and uniformity of interconnection study models and modeling assumptions provided by transmission providers to interconnection customers.</li>
<li>Develop tools for managing, analyzing, and visualizing transmission and interconnection data made available through the preceding two solutions, ensuring secure data-sharing protocols.</li>
</ul>
Goal 2: Enhance Interconnection Process Efficiency and Timeliness
Interconnection backlogs and delays often stem from the rapid increase in interconnection requests, inefficiencies within the interconnection processes, and limitations in workforce capacity.
In the United States, it&#8217;s anticipated that interconnection queue volumes will remain significant and potentially volatile in the foreseeable future. This objective encompasses solutions aimed at improving queue management practices, impacted system studies, inclusivity, fairness in processes, and workforce development.
Queue Management
<ul>
<li>Implementing stricter commercial readiness criteria, financial commitments, withdrawal penalties, and time constraints can help balance effectiveness, equity, and principles of open access.</li>
<li>Enforcing interconnection study timelines and offering incentives for minimizing study delays.</li>
<li>Continuing to automate certain aspects of the interconnection process, such as data validation, customer communications, and data sharing across processes and models.</li>
<li>Monitoring interconnection processing times and implementing interventions as necessary, such as additional temporary staffing or temporary fast-tracking.</li>
<li>Enhancing existing fast-track options and introducing new ones, like surplus and energy-only interconnection services.</li>
<li>Considering market-based approaches to rationing interconnection access.</li>
</ul>
Goal 3: Foster Economic Efficiency in Interconnection
This objective focuses on solutions to enhance cost allocation, minimize costs for electricity consumers, improve coordination between transmission planning and the interconnection process, and optimize transmission investment through advancements in interconnection studies.
Expanding interconnection service options and proactive transmission investments can reduce uncertainty and enhance the efficiency of cost allocations. Should ongoing efforts to alleviate interconnection bottlenecks prove ineffective, transmission providers may need to explore more significant departures from the current participant funding model for interconnection cost allocation.
Solutions:
<ul>
<li>Explore various methods for identifying and allocating the costs of proactive transmission investments, considering state, federal, and participant funding options.</li>
<li>Ensure that generators have the choice to opt for energy-only interconnection and potential re-dispatch instead of bearing the costs of network upgrades.</li>
<li>Investigate options to decouple the interconnection process from network upgrade investments to enhance upfront interconnection cost certainty.</li>
</ul>
Coordination Between Interconnection and Transmission Planning
Enhancing alignment in data inputs, assumptions, and process timelines between interconnection and long-term transmission planning can prevent transmission solutions that would be more efficiently identified in transmission plans from being triggered through the interconnection process.
Solution:
Align data inputs, assumptions, and process timing more closely between interconnection and transmission planning processes.
Goal 4: Ensure Grid Reliability, Resilience, and Security
In recent years, significant disturbances leading to the disconnection of inverter-based resources (IBRs) have highlighted performance issues not identified during the interconnection studies of the involved plants.
The solutions outlined under this goal aim to minimize these gaps by updating technical requirements within interconnection studies, models, and tools and enhancing industry interconnection standards.
Solutions:
<ul>
<li>The submission of validated electromagnetic transient (EMT) models for all IBRs is required during the interconnection process, and screening criteria must be established to identify when EMT studies are necessary within a region.</li>
<li>Develop regulations for dynamic model quality testing and validation for root-mean-square (RMS) and EMT simulations, ensuring plant performance aligns with relevant interconnection requirements.</li>
<li>Devise a study process flow that better aligns with project development timelines.</li>
<li>Enhance the computational speed of interconnection reliability assessments.</li>
</ul>
DOE Support to Implement Solutions 
DOE has multiple roles in implementing the solutions identified in the roadmap, such as facilitating solution adoption, providing funding and technical assistance, and supporting the research community.
Its Grid Deployment Office invests in accelerating the interconnection of clean energy generation through the $5 billion Grid Innovation Program, which supports the deployment of projects that use innovative approaches to enhance grid resilience and reliability.
DOE&#8217;s Solar Energy Technologies and Wind Energy Technologies Office recently released a $10 million funding opportunity for analytical tools and approaches to accelerate interconnection.
They will also lead a series of forthcoming public forums to implement interconnection standards to maintain a reliable, resilient, and safe grid.
Through the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, the Loan Programs Office seeks to finance energy infrastructure projects, including infrastructure investments to support transmission interconnection, reconductoring transmission lines, and upgrading voltage.
The department also supports electric vehicle charging deployment through the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office). The Joint Office is convening stakeholders to identify gaps between transmission and transportation planning to accelerate transmission development within transportation rights-of-way.
DOE plans to release a draft companion roadmap focusing on the distribution grid in the coming months.

US Aims to Slash Grid Interconnection Timeline from 33 to Under 12 Months by 2030

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					</table>India-based renewable energy project developer <a href="https://renewpower.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ReNew</a> has commissioned its first interstate transmission system (ISTS) project, the Koppal Transmission Program, which aims to facilitate the transmission of 1.5 GW of renewable energy in Karnataka.
Awarded in the financial year 2022, the program encompasses the construction of a new 400/220 kV substation at Koppal, a 276 Ckt Km 400 kV D/C quad moose transmission line, and an extension of the 400 kV GIS Bays at the Powergrid Narendra (New) Substation.
Following the commissioning of the 1,500 MW Koppal Transmission program, the remaining transmission for 3,500 MW is anticipated to be completed by June 2024.
In response to this development, an agreement was recently signed on the second joint investment in the transmission sector with private equity company <a href="https://www.norfund.no/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfund</a> and Norway’s largest pension fund, <a href="https://www.klp.no/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KLP</a>.
The investment made by Norfund and KLP in ReNew’s transmission projects aligns with ReNew’s farm-down strategy, allowing for the addition of further capacity. This collaboration is expected to yield synergies in project execution and operations, leveraging ReNew’s in-house capabilities and playing a crucial role in enabling the earlier commissioning of renewable energy projects.
These factors are anticipated to enhance returns and reduce completion timelines, mitigating risks for the company’s core renewable energy development business.
To date, ReNew has secured three transmission projects in Karnataka under ISTS, contributing to the transmission of 5 GW of wind and solar power potential identified in Phase-I for 35 years.
The Central Transmission Utility, a government-owned entity and a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGCIL, will oversee the billing, collection, and disbursement of revenue for these transmission projects.
The recent agreement between these companies to invest in the Gadag Project for a 49% stake represents the second investment in the partnership, with aspirations for additional joint ventures. The expected levelized EBITDA for the Gadag Project is approximately $6.2 million, encompassing the development of substations, transmission lines, and augmentation facilities.
Commercial operations for the Gadag Project are anticipated to commence in two phases – in the last quarter of FY24 and the first quarter of FY25, contributing significantly to India&#8217;s sustainable energy objectives.
Kailash Vaswani, Group CFO of ReNew, highlighted the strategic significance of investments in the transmission sector. He emphasized how such investments synergize with ReNew&#8217;s core renewable energy portfolio by bolstering the certainty of connecting large renewable energy development projects.
Vaswani also underscored the success of capital recycling, wherein ReNew has raised over $500 million in equity over the past two years by divesting stakes in assets.
Through the partnership with ReNew, Norfund aims to contribute to India&#8217;s climate goals by connecting an additional 2.5 GW of planned renewable power to the national grid.
The Ministry of Power <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/renew-powers-overhead-transmission-lines-rajasthan-approved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a plea from ReNew Dinkar Urja, a special-purpose vehicle of ReNew Power, to set up overhead transmission lines for its 200 MW solar power project in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
In June this year, ReNew Power said it would <a href="https://mercomindia.com/renew-power-acquire-wind-solar-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquire</a> 471.65 MW of wind and 56.25 MW of solar assets spread across eight states. The projects were estimated to have a total enterprise value of ₹30 billion ($369 million).
The company <a href="https://mercomindia.com/renew-power-1-1-billion-loan-1-3-gw-round-the-clock-renewable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> $1.1 billion in external commercial borrowing for the company’s hybrid round-the-clock battery-enabled renewable project.

ReNew Commissions ISTS Project to Evacuate 1.5 GW of Renewables in Karnataka

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					</table>The government is working towards setting up transmission systems for renewable energy zones with 66.5 GW of capacity by the end of 2022 to integrate non-fossil fuel energy sources with the country’s grid.
At a parliamentary consultative committee meeting chaired by Power Minister R K Singh, members were apprised of initiatives to set up thirteen renewable energy management centers to address generation variability and uncertainty and transmission systems for integrating an additional 52 GW of potential renewable energy zones by 2026-27.
According to a Power Ministry statement, transmission arrangements for another 181.5 GW of renewable energy resources by 2030 have been planned.
Members were informed of plans to strengthen the country’s transmission capacity, with power consumption reaching 1,400 billion units and expected to double by 2030.
Transmission systems for seven solar parks (6,500 MW) in 5 states comprising about 1,870 ckm transmission lines and five sub-stations with 1,3500 MVA transmission capacity had been implemented by POWERGRID.
While the peak power demand is currently 216 GW, the installed capacity of the national grid is 404 GW.
To decongest the transmission network, the government had adopted several measures, including a 1200 kV Ultra High Voltage AC system, tower designs to reduce right-of-way, application-based patrolling, hotline maintenance, tubular poles for fewer land regions, and gas-insulated switchgear for maintenance.
According to a <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-188-gw-renewable-capacity-5-years-meet-peak-demand-cea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft</a> of the National Electricity Plan published by the Central Electricity Authority (<a href="https://cea.nic.in/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CEA</a>) in September 2022, India needs to add 224.9 GW of clean energy generation capacity by 2032 to meet the peak demand.
Earlier this year, the Power Minister <a href="https://mercomindia.com/steps-taken-to-integrate-renewables-into-grid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted</a> steps to facilitate renewable energy integration into the national interconnection grid. He had told the Parliament that regional energy management centers had been set up to accurately forecast and assist grid operators in managing the variability and intermittency of renewable power.

Transmission Infrastructure for 66.5 GW of Renewable Energy Zones to be Set Up By 2022

Nigeria is currently facing one of the most significant economic downturns in its history due to COVID-19. While the country is grappling with a recession, the government has outlined an ‘Economic Sustainability Plan’ in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plan focuses on several projects and policy approaches, which could lead to job creation across the fields of agriculture and agro-processing, renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, food security, housing construction, and the digital economy.
Among the key projects proposed by the government, the ‘Solar Home Systems Project’ is expected to serve more than 25 million Nigerians who are currently not connected to the national grid. This move by the government will likely help the local solar manufacturers to set up manufacturing facilities of solar components and appliances in Nigeria, thereby creating jobs for the locals. In addition to this, installation, servicing, and payment collections will create more jobs for the locals.
According to the sustainability plan, the solar power strategy will support 250,000 jobs and impact up to 25 million beneficiaries by installing five million solar-home systems and mini-grids. The government is aiming to provide reliable electricity to health clinics and also to rural communities that have little or no access to the national grid. Private sector installers of solar systems will be supported to access low-cost financing from development finance institutions to install solar systems at an affordable price.
The dependence on oil has accentuated the economic condition of the country. With the fall in crude oil prices to $12 (~₹882.2) per barrel in April 2020 and the inability of the country to sell oil, despite it being priced below the production cost, has put the government in a tight spot.
The National Bureau of Statistics has come up with macro scenarios that show that economic growth could fall by nearly 4.40% to 8.91% depending on the impact of the outbreak COVID-19 pandemic, period of lockdowns, and the amount of stimulus deployed by the government.
The ‘<a href="https://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2020/06/ESC-Plan-compressed-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Economic Sustainability Plan</a>’ aims to address the effects of the recession while ensuring social stability and addressing long-standing economic vulnerabilities.
Another important program that the government has proposed in the plan is the ‘National Gas Expansion Programme.’ The government aims to accelerate the transition of Nigeria to a post-oil era, promote the domestic use of cleaner fuels, and prepare the compressed natural gas (CNG) market for export opportunities.
The ‘National LPG Expansion Implementation Plan’ will oversee and drive all the efforts undertaken by industry stakeholders to promote LPG consumption in Nigeria. The project will organize the sector to support conversion from traditional fuels like kerosene, wood, etc. to cleaner LPG fuel. The government will work with private players to promote the manufacturing of cylinders and other accessories to foster wider adoption of LPG.
In June this year, All On, an independent impact investment company, had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-installations-nigerian-centers-covid-outbreak/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> the completion of the first phase of nationwide solar installations at Nigerian emergency health facilities related to the COVID-19 pandemic response. The company had announced the formation of a COVID-19 Solar Relief Fund on March 31, 2020, and it was established with help from solar companies like Auxano, GVE, and Lumos. The main aim of the fund is to provide solar power for emergency health facilities in support of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, the African Union Commission and the International Renewable Energy Agency <a href="https://mercomindia.com/africa-renewables-response-covid-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">agreed</a> to work together to promote renewable energy across the African continent and to bolster Africa’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. The two organizations will focus on innovative solutions to drive the development of renewable energy, including decentralized systems, and to increase access to energy across the continent.

Nigeria Bets on Solar to Create Jobs Post COVID-19 Disruption

State-owned Electricity of Vietnam (<a href="https://en.evn.com.vn/c3/gioi-thieu-f/Overview-2-3.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EVN</a>) has been accelerating the completion of 61 solar power projects so that by the end of June 2019,  a total of  88 solar power projects can be connected to the national grid.
As of April 23, 2019, only four solar power projects in Vietnam had started commercial operation, the number rose to 27 by May 17, 2019, a release by EVN has said.
The additional 61 solar power projects to be commissioned in June are expected to generate a total capacity of 2,000 MW.
With 88 solar power projects added to the national grid, the total energy generated from renewable (wind and solar) power projects in the country will be about 4,000 MW, the release added.
After a recent decision taken by the country’s Prime Minister, the projects connected to the national grid between June 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019, will be eligible to sell electricity to EVN at VNĐ 2,086 ($0.093)/kWh.
Renewable energy power projects are located mainly in the southern and south-central region of Vietnam. Renewable energy is helping EVN to reduce the pressure of supplying power to the southern region, a major economic hub of the country.
Mercom reported earlier about Thailand’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/b-grimm-power-ppa-257-mw-solar-vietnam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">B. Grimm</a> Power signing a power purchase agreement with Electricity of Vietnam for solar projects totaling 257 MW in Phu Yen province of the country.
The PPA was for a feed-in tariff (FiT) of $0.0935 (~₹6.938)/kWh, with a duration of 20 years. The scheduled commercial operation date of the project is expected to be before June 30, 2019.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/thai-vietnamese-firms-420-mw-solar-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">In July 2018</a>, B.Grimm Power and Vietnam’s Xuan Cau had signed a development cooperation agreement for the 420 MW solar PV project located in Tay Ninh, south-west of Vietnam.
Vietnam has become an important destination for investment in renewable energy for companies seeking new markets.
&nbsp;

88 Solar Projects Likely to be Added to Vietnam’s National Grid by June 2019

Leh and Kargil, two of India’s most difficult and inhospitable terrains, have finally been connected to the national electricity grid. This feat, achieved after 72 years of independence, was made possible by the government’s PowerGrid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), a state-run transmission utility.
According to the update posted by PowerGrid on Twitter, on January 11, 2019, Ladakh was successfully connected to Kashmir through a 220 kV transmission system. “The Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) along with PGCIL test charged 220 kV Alusteng-Dras-Kargil-Khalsti-Leh transmission line along with 220/66kV S/s at Dras, Kargil, Khalsti, and Leh,” it said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Ladakh successfully connected to Kashmir with 220kV transmission system. JKPDD &amp; POWERGRID test charged 220kV Alusteng-Dras-Kargil-Khalsti-Leh TL along with 220/66kV S/s at Dras, Kargil, Khalsti &amp; Leh. Ladakh will get power in winters &amp; surplus power will be evacuated in summers. <a href="https://t.co/Yqqc5oMjot">pic.twitter.com/Yqqc5oMjot</a>
&mdash; POWERGRID (@pgcilindia) <a href="https://twitter.com/pgcilindia/status/1083754945361391616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Union Minister for Power, R.K. Singh also commented on the achievement through his Twitter account, calling it a ‘significant milestone’.
“Now, people of Ladakh will be able to access as much power as they need,” Singh said.
This connection assumes significance considering the harsh terrain of the region which undergoes long, severe winter months often cutting it off from most of the country.  Due to its difficult landscape, most of the Ladakh region was not connected to the grid with the rest of the country until now. Because of this, power demand of the area was met by local small hydel and diesel generators. During winters, generation from hydro projects is reduced considerably whereas power demand increases. While in summers, hydel generation is at its highest whereas demand is generally low. Therefore, to have uninterrupted power supply in and around Ladakh area, connectivity with Northern Region Grid was envisaged. Moreover, due to presence of defense establishments in the area and its strategic importance, there was an increased need to get the region connected with rest of the grid.
This power-starved region of the country has managed to get the attention of the government with the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (<a href="http://seci.co.in/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SECI</a>) issuing a Request for Selection (RfS) for the development of 7,500 MW of grid-connected solar power projects in Leh and Kargil districts of Jammu &amp; Kashmir. The total capacity of 7,500 MW has been divided into three packages of 2,500 MW each.  The package-A will be set up in the areas tentatively identified in Zanskar sub-division and Tai Suru block of Kargil district. Packages B and C will be developed at Hanley Khaldo area of Nyoma sub-division in the Leh district.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/jammu-kashmir-solar-kargil-leh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recently</a>, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched a plan for the implementation of 23 GW of ultra-mega solar projects in the Leh and Ladakh regions of Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the country’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-giga-solar-tenders-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest capacity so far</a>. Phase-I of the project would entail setting up 2,500 MW Solar PV Capacity in Kargil region and 5,000 MW in Leh district. This will be India’s largest tender so far in terms of the capacity envisaged.
Image credit: PowerGrid via Twitter

72 Years After Independence, Leh and Kargil Connected to National Electricity Grid

The United States will provide India with $7.5 million to improve the national grid. The fund is provided by Department of Energy (DOE), United States Government, and will go towards running a joint U.S.-India five-year project that will help advance the development of the power grid.
The Indian Ministry of Science and Technology and industry partners will match DOE’s commitment, bringing the total fund amount to $30 million, stated a <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-invests-75-million-improve-electric-grid-reliability-and-resiliency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DOE release</a>. The DOE release also stated, “This step furthers DOE’s collaboration with India under the U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE).”
“This new consortium demonstrates U.S. and Indian commitments to ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy in both countries,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. “We know that continued grid innovation will promote economic growth and energy security in the United States and India,” added Mr. Perry.
The U.S.-India collaborative for smart distribution system with storage (UI-ASSIST) was selected as the new consortia for smart grid and energy storage under the U.S.-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC).
To help pave the way to a more advanced distribution grid that will allow for greater use of distributed energy resources, such as microgrids, and energy storage, the new consortia will bring together experts from academia, DOE’s national laboratories, and industry. Together with their counterparts in India, the center will conduct research and deploy new smart grid and energy storage technologies that will modernize the grids of both nations to make them “smarter,” while increasing resilience and reliability.
India-U.S. collaboration has been increasing in the renewable energy sector.
Mercom <a href="https://mercomindia.com/opic-mnre-launch-20-million-us-india-clean-energy-finance-facility-initiative/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previously reported</a>, the Government of India and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. government’s development finance institution, launched the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) Facility Initiative with $20 million (~Rs.1.36 billion) to initiate the flow of up to $400 million (~Rs.27.1 billion) in public and private financing for renewable power generation in India by 2020.

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