India hybrid power and energy storage win for Black & Veatch

Core components of the project are 25 MW solar PV and 16 MW wind power generation systems, coupled to an optimised energy storage system. Technical services for the project are funded by a grant award from the US Trade and Development Agency; the project is located in Andhra Pradesh. IL&FS Energy is building multiple giggawatt-scale solar parks in India.

“Grid modernisation through hybrid projects like this one will help promote sustainable economic growth in India, and support the government’s goal of reaching 175 GW of capacity from renewable sources by 2022. Hybrid solutions, by optimizing output and reducing variability, will also improve the bankability of renewable energy projects,” said Mitesh Patel, director of Black & Veatch’s renewable energy businesses in Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“This pilot project, apart from delivering industry leading plant load factor and optimised hardware configuration, will assist the distribution company in efficient grid management through real-time monitoring of ramps, peak shifting and matching of load and generation profiles” said Keshav Prasad, chief operating officer, Solar IL&FS Energy.

Black & Veatch’s role includes carrying out engineering studies to optimise the project, preparing the request for proposal (RFP) documentation for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) provider and for original equipment manufacturers that may supply equipment for the project; providing recommendations on supportive regulatory frameworks that would make BESS viable for similar grid-scale hybrid power projects; and formulating a plan, with key milestones for the implementation of the project.