In partnership with Panasonic, Indian electricity utility BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) has brought online 4 solar microgrids at its offices in East Delhi that combines rooftop solar with lithium-ion based battery energy storage system as a pilot project. BYPL says it is one of the first electricity distribution companies (discoms) in the country to establish a solar micro grid in an urban setting.
Solar power plants with capacity range of 5 kW and 7 kW and battery storage systems of 7 kWh to 10 kWh have been set up under the project. Power generated by the solar component is being used by respective offices for internal power requirements of office loads and charge the lithium-ion batteries. Excess power generated is fed into the grid.
BYPL is encouraged by recent findings that onsite locations used 92% of solar power generated, and only 8% of grid power. Its estimates show around 1,245 litres of diesel and 0.24 million units (MU) of electricity can be saved annually with such a system in place. If it rolls out 1,000 such solar energy battery storage micro grids, it expects to save some 62 MU of electricity resulting into major savings for both the discom and consumers.
Cost of setting up such a system can significantly come down with more consumers, which according to BYPL currently hover around INR 40,000 ($577) per kW for rooftop solar system and close to INR 80,000 ($1,155) per kW for the energy storage component.
A joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure Limited and the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT), BYPL plans to roll out such projects in South and West Delhi areas as well. South Asian non-profit organization Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has been roped in by the utility to asses the system performance of this project and also to popularize the concept.
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