TANGEDCO and the wind power industry have signed an agreement on the 100 per cent absorption of wind energy. The agreement was made after the wind energy companies agreed to compensate the utility for procuring high cost power in case of any deviation in the schedule given by them.
TANGEDCO will set up the Renewable Energy Management Centre with an officer from the Non Conventional Energy Sources to schedule solar and wind power. This will enable its absorption into the grid. There will be a 100 per cent absorption of wind generation provided the generators would compensate the utility for purchase of high cost power. This will be on those few days that there is a sudden dip in wind generation, and so, not in line with the schedule given in advance by the National Institute of Wind Energy or NIWE.
According to sources from the wind energy industry, We have accepted the condition laid down by TANGEDCO for full evacuation of wind energy. The TANGEDCO are exploring ways and means to implement it. The new arrangement would be tied on a trial basis for two months, June and July, and would be further continued after reviewing its functioning in August.
Sources also said, All wind power industry bodies, including Indian Wind Power Association, Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association and Southern India Mills Association have unanimously accepted TANGEDCO’s offer. Considering the amount likely to be compensated to the utility for purchase of power due to sudden dip in wind generation on a few days, it would be much lower compared to the revenue gain by industry through full evacuation.
An official of the NIWE said, The new arrangement would end the indiscriminate backing down of windmills. Considering the lower efficiency of old wind mills, wind energy evacuation may go up to 4500 MW in some days. Backing down could not be stopped completely as TANGEDCO should maintain grid stability.