Smart Energy Management for the Grid-connected Solar Agricultural Prosumers and Consumers

Abstract

Abstract

Gujarat is a leader in the deployment of renewable energy and especially solar. The state has over 1,500no’s of grid-connected solar PV plants as on date and is among the top states in India for solar energy generation. The state has also given emphasis to distributed solar generation i.e. solar generation connected to the LT grid. The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) has been implementing the rooftop solar program in lines with the central program of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Now, the state intends to extend the definition of distributed solar energy from rooftop solar PV systems to grid-connected solar pumps or ‘Farm-top’ solar installations. The central government has also planned to make an announcement to support and scale up this pilot project across the country through the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme. The state now envisions to dovetail the efforts through the KUSUM scheme and has announced the Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) scheme. The scheme is essentially a net-metering solar PV based pump-set that is installed on the fields of farmers. The essential working of the scheme is similar to the rooftop net-metering policy in any location in the country. Farmers install solar powered irrigation pumps. The solar PV system provides day-time around 12 hours power to the farmers which is first used to meet the requirements of the pump. Any excess energy is fed into the grid for which the farmers are compensated by the power distribution company. There are several benefits of such a scheme, which include (a) efficient use of water, (b) additional source of revenue for the farmer, (c) day-time power for farmers, (d) reduction of cross-subsidy burden on the DISCOM, (e) deployment of RE in a distributed and equitable manner, (d) reduction of long-term power Subsidies for the State Government, (e) improved economy in rural areas.

Keywords: SKY—Suryashakti Kisan Yojana, WDT—Watch Dog Transformer, WDD—Watch Dog Device, SEDM—Solar Energy Data Management system, DISCOMs—Power Distribution Companies

Cite this Article

R.B Patel and R.D Patel. Smart Energy Management for the Grid connected Solar Agricultural Prosumers and Consumers. Recent Trends in Sensor Research & Technology. 2019; 6(3): 13–21p.