Grid-connectivity of remote isolated islands—A proposition in Indian context

Abstract

This paper has analyzed the cases of Moushuni Island at Sundarban of 24 Parganas South of West Bengal, India. The proposition is to find out the possibility of grid-connectivity of isolated remote islands which is under rural electrification scheme by hybrid renewable energies under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission of India. In these rural electrification program, grid extension can be the best option if the grid is reliable, the rural community rather big and in proximity to the grid. In many circumstances, a strong case for mini-grids based on hybrid systems can be made. Scattered communities and isolated houses are well served by solar and small hydro (where available) or small wind energy systems. By feeding renewable electricity to the utility grid through grid-connected hybrid renewable energy system, during time of peak demand, sufficient electrical loads can be shed to prevent turning on a coal or natural gas-fired plant and therefore save CO2 emissions and potentially energy import costs, replacing fossil fuels. But there is a barrier for grid-connectivity for isolated island, which can be overcome by feed-in-tariff policy implementation for renewables. Also, feed-in-tariff for mini-grids is a promising approach for linking off-grid and grid-connected renewable energy support. Also, most intelligent controller for grid interactive operation of solar photovoltaic-wind-bio hybrid energy system at Moushuni Island is proposed. This intelligent controller will switch from various renewable resources like solar-wind-biomass through change over switch panel to find out optimized hybrid renewable energy system. Malda district of West Bengal, India is a vision towards smart-grid city towards sustainable future, where rural consumers can upgrade their quality of life through solar energy resource. This paper also illustrated the socio-economic and environmental benefits and social costing of adopting renewables future for India. Cost proposition for integrating distributed renewable energy sources-solar energy to electricity grid has been analyzed along with the feasibility studies for factors responsible for cost/unit reduction. The feasibility studies for social, economic, and environmental benefits of renewables have been discussed along with justifications for hybrid renewable vs stand alone-photovoltaic and other types of renewable energy systems along with the comparative analysis of economic costing of installation of various types of renewable energy systems.