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India Ready With Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy, Auctions Concept


India’s renewable energy ministry has finalised a policy that aims to promote the development of large hybrid power plants, combining wind turbines and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Solar and wind resources in India are complementary to each other and the installation of hybrid systems reduces variability, and further optimises the use of land and transmission capacity, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) explains in the document.

As part of efforts to promote such projects, government entities may invite tenders for new wind-solar PV hybrid capacities or for the hybridisation of existing parks, with the tariff remaining the main criteria for selection. Other parameters that may be considered include capacity delivered at grid interface point and the capacity utilisation factor (CUF). If battery storage is added to the hybrid facility, bidding factors could include minimum firm power output throughout the day or for defined periods, the extent of variability allowed in output power, the price of electricity, etc.

Under the policy, a wind-solar power plant will be considered “hybrid” if the rated power capacity of one resource is at least 25% of the rated power capacity of the other resource. Hybrid projects will be able take advantage of all fiscal and financial incentives available to wind and solar power projects.

The Central Electricity Authority and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) are to formulate the necessary standards and regulations for wind-solar PV hybrid projects, such as the metering methodology and standards, forecasting and scheduling regulations, the renewable energy certificates (RECs) mechanism, grant of connectivity and sharing of transmission lines and more.

India aims to have 100 GW of solar power and 60 MW of wind by 2022. At the end of March 2018 it had nearly 70 GW in renewable power generation capacity.

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