A first-of-its-kind study examines the economic and technical viability of 100% renewable energy systems for a global megacity like Delhi inside the northern Indian grid region. Delhi should start moving away from fossil fuels by the year 2050, a recent article in the journal Renewable Energy states.
The majority of Delhi's demand will be met by batteries, prosumers, and utility-scale solar by 2050, the study finds, as fossil fuels will have mostly been phased out. Power, heat, transportation, and desalination are all part of the energy system that is taken into account.
Solar Energy Transmission Networks Planning
Given Delhi's restrictions on the amount of available land, the northern area, which is made up of eight states, continues to supply it with power. It is anticipated that these states—Jammu and Kashmir (including Ladakh), Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh—will be connected through optimized transmission networks.
In July 2022, Delhi's electricity needs jumped to nearly 7GW. Additionally, it is anticipated that consumption will increase from 2,000 TWh in 2030 to roughly 4.400 TWh by 2050. The neighbouring states are emerging as new exporters of affordable renewable electricity, which can bolster their economies and add much-needed jobs.
Delhi Taking The Lead In Energy Transition
The Delhi Pollution Control Board has stated that no coal will be allowed to be used beginning January 1 in 2023, although this does not apply to thermal power plants. The main goal of this was to reduce air pollution.
The Delhi government also recently declared its ambition to target 50% solar rooftops in order to realise its goal of making the city the nation's rooftop capital by 2030.
Manish Ram, one of the study's authors said, "Although this is positive and a step in the right direction, our study demonstrates that the government needs to be more ambitious given the potential and the co-benefits in terms of lower costs, lower GHG emissions, lower air pollution—a problem the capital has been dealing with for more than a decade—and a higher number of jobs. It is the right time for transformational change, and Delhi has the chance to lead the energy transition in North India.”
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Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.
