In the last few years, the rural electrification program under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) has increased village electrification and rural household (HH) connections considerably. With the current drive of extending grid through RGGVY, one can expect that most of the un-electrified villages will be grid-connected soon. Few locations where the RGGVY infrastructure is in place, currently also have decentralized renewable energy (DRE) based micro-grids to partially fulfill the local electricity needs. It is believed that the arrival of the centralized grid would potentially threaten the existence of these projects, as the villagers will prefer the “cheaper” grid electricity over the costlier electricity from DRE generation. This is an added emerging risk even for new projects, which would increase with time, especially as the RGGVY network covers larger areas.

However, if existing off-grid DRE projects possess the capability to seamlessly interface with the centralized grid, it will considerably increase the viability and sustainability of such DRE systems and further have positive implications for enhancing electricity access. Additionally DRE projects coupled with smart grid features could also isolate from the grid and supply only the micro-grid as and when needed. Considering the sharply falling solar PV prices coupled with the rising consumer tariffs, grid interactive rooftop solar for urban areas will also be a serious option in the near future. Sustainable and scalable deployment of grid-connected DRE projects (rural and urban), however, will require a comprehensive framework covering technical, financial, operational, policy and regulatory aspects.

With a view to further discussion on this topic, the Prayas Energy Group, along with the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), organized a one-day workshop to explore various aspects of grid integration of small scale DRE projects. The objective of this workshop was to provide a platform for sharing emerging issues and consolidate suggestions on the way forward on the issue of grid integration of DRE projects. The presentations made during the workshop along with summary report of the discussion can be downloaded below.