The introduction of smart power generation concept in the country's power generation mix has a potential to save Rs.46,000 crore capital expenditure in the XII Plan and Rs.14,000 crore per annum of operating costs, according to Rakesh Sarin, Managing Director, Wartsila India.
Wartsila India organised ‘Smart power generation media meet' on Thursday in Chennai and focussed on how it can support the challenges being faced by the power sector along with the company's power-based solutions.
He said smart power generation was an ideal technology that would bring a number of benefits which enables transition to the modern energy infrastructure. It would be a sustainable, affordable and efficient way to optimise the complete energy system.
It was a unique solution for flexible power generation and can operate in multiple models from efficient base load power production to ultra-fast dynamic system balancing. It would also improve system efficiency and solve challenges of wind and solar integration.
He said a study, conducted by the company in association with IIT Delhi, indicated that smart power generation could provide solution for some of the major issues confronting the power sector.
The concept would bring 6, 9 per cent efficiency in overall fuel mix which in turn would also reduce problems in coal availability and save Rs.4,500 crore per annum in primary fuel cost. Further, it would reduce the expensive gas consumption to one-fourth by utilising the same in peak load management plants.
On transmission and distribution losses, local generation for peak demand for 6 to 8 hours a day at load centre and local consumption would give a saving of ˜0, 25 per cent of total energy consumption valued at Rs. 675 crore per annum.
Further, local generation for peak demand at load centres and local consumption releases over 20 per cent of the HT transmission capacity, valued at Rs.15,900 crore investment which can be saved.
He said that land requirement for such generation is less than 1/10 th of a coal-based power plant, thus saving of over 24,000 acres, valued at Rs. 6,000 crore and negligible water consumption saving 410 MnCu Mn water, which is equivalent to the annual need of a city such as Chennai.
The concept would support wind and solar plants in-firm nature of energy with power through its quick response plants. With a modular design, the concept would take only 12–15 months power out from financial closure.
In the suggested model optimisation of power generation mix by way of introducing load center based peaking plants to support the base load and renewable generation mix would result in a saving of ˜100 MN tonnes of Co{-2} generation a year. This reduction would be equivalent to the savings which can be achieved through the mix of 20,000 MW of solar and 35,000 MW of wind power plant operations.
He said Tamil Nadu's demand for uninterrupted power supply would give a great opportunity for growth. The state was poised to be a prominent energy hub for India.
He said, “The transition to a sustainable energy infrastructure requires a judicial mix of base load with coal and nuclear; renewables and load centre based natural gas peaking power plants. It is highly recommended to plan and segregate the MWs coming from these three categories of generation. Smart power generation is a highly efficient, flexible and economic solution for optimising power systems and it was time to integrate such solution in the country's energy mix.
This whole concept is demonstrated in Tamil Nadu in three power plants — Balaji Power Corporation Pvt. Ltd. in Madurai, Samalpatti Power Company Pvt. Ltd in Dharmapuri and Arkay Energy in Ramanathapuram.
