SMART OPPORTUNITIES IN ELECTRICITY

Leading energy experts discuss about the various vital available technologies and the required systematic changes to acknowledge and adapt smart transformations in a smart city. They are also talking about the geographical challenges towards smart distribution of electricity.
Smart cities are well equipped with intelligent systems and controls, smart infrastructure that offer a sustainable and quality through intelligent power solutions. India’s rapid urbanization has been one of the key drivers in increasing the demand for energy consumption. As per the guidelines of Smart Cities Mission, 80 percent of the total buildings in a smart city need to be energy efficient, by integrating IoT. Government further aims at integrating these smart technologies across various sectors to achieve a sustainable urban development in a more energy-efficient and cost-effective manner. 
Elevating smart distributed systems in critical Indian geographies
According to Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director, International Copper Association India and Sustainable Team Leader for Copper Alliance, the smart distribution system is essential for India. We are yet to have larger PVs into a system. Since we have the similar demand side requirement with the generation I think the smartness of the grid is necessary. As I mentioned, a smart grid or a smart city has no exact definition, but definitely has the ability to integrate huge control over it. It is all about how smartly you are able to manage the right data and information. The management is being done with some objective and some goals, therefore smart grids are highly momentous. Also, we are able to see the change and transformation towards having smart grids, it’s more about the economic requirement from the plant and the financial subsidies from required from the government. But smart is the need of the day.
Safety and security towards smart cities and smart electricity. 
Shreegopal Kabra, Managing Director and Group President, RR Global says that we belong to a country which is being driven by the standards. Here, BIS can play the vital role and organizations like IEEMA and ICA others can act as a catalyst in getting the job done with immediate effect. “We have been discussing on the safety and security but concrete actions are yet to taken on it. The discussion was started in 2009, but yet no concrete measures have been taken towards. This is the biggest hurdle and challenge in India.” We are willing to become huge exporters of electrical industries. Even the government has been constantly talking about diamond exports, textile exports, but are not emphasizing on engineering exports in terms of electrical exports. Whereas, in India, we have a wide opportunity for engineering exports but are missing on the required promotions and required from the government and from the industries. We also need to emphasize on having quality products  and the solutions.  For instance, if we talk about the FRLS wire, I have been talking from a very long time that these FRLS wires are a modified version PVC cables. People assume it to be fireproof. But these are in fact the flame retardant and fire resistant wires. We need to change the mindset of the people through educating them about the issue and creating awareness about the imperativeness. We are a part of commonwealth countries, where changes are constant and innovative products are either introduced by Europe or by USA. 
Digitalising smart energy systems
Dhananjay Sanas, Product Marketing Director, Power Business and Smart Electricity Business ABB India, feels that culture is the biggest challenge towards digitalisation. We have an attitude of having cost effective safety and further compromising the overall safety. Until we change the attitude towards the cost for safety parameters, all our efforts towards digitalisation will be in vain as the quality will be impacted, the equipment will crumble over time and all the planning will be wasted. So, this is a cultural drive; and Mr. Shreegopal, said that if the installer and the providers are being cost effective only, instead of considering the customer benefit or the long term quality services, these things will certainly impact the overall quality. This is where the institutes and organisations must imbibe innovation among people’s mindset, to bring innovation to the equipment.
We do have a lot of places where the systems installed are of highest quality, reliability and have highest performance – moreover they are far better than the western world. But we need more of that because as smart cities will start becoming a reality, digitalization and quality norms will automatically drive it.
Affordability towards smart infrastructure in semi-urban and rural areas
According to Bhagwat Singh Babel, Non-Executive Director, Secure Meters, RR Kabel – Mumbai, Past President –IEEMA, the basic point to consider here is how many people can afford to bear fuel cost? Unfortunately, historically, the power is being used more of a political tool by making it cross subsidised. We forget and forgive those who steal electricity through various means. Politicians make it free for few particular sectors for their personal benefits and changes industries and residential more. But if we make it equitable and reliable people will start paying for the power they use constantly. For instance, I live in Udaipur still I face frequent power cuts in our area, so I have installed inverters for power backups to take care of my essential loads. So affordability varies from person to person and to the society. But when we talk about rural areas and villages, we can provide them the solar lanterns and solar changers. There people won’t be concerned about the free access to fuels, will concerned about paying the initial cost for it so let’s equate that considering everyone.
Transforming Power Generation with solar and net metering
Dhananjay here talks about the technical glitches and aspects to elevate India’s smart scenario. He feels that it’s already happening. “The generation initially was very centralised, today we are already witnessing a lot of decentralised generation. We have pockets which are likely to stand alone on their generation. They generate and do not transmit as it’s needless to do it, so they consume it.” This can happen in the geographical areas like islands for instance. “Technology has already ensured appropriate management of these things; and this technology is expected to improvise more in the coming years. In the future, we can have a pocket generation system for an island and connect it to the grid system, we can also have an equipment that reads power flowing on both the sides. So effectively, all these equipment are already available in the market.”
This will drive decentralised power as it becomes more green, reliable and sustainable. We would be glad to see every household having their own power generation systems. Decentralised power is the forecast trend and this is how the smart equipment will come into the picture. 
Talking about the same, Mayur feels that having a better control on the variables is the need of the hour. I would like to add one more point on the electrical safety aspect. ICA India is running an electrical safety campaign where we have been talking about improving the entire quality of the electrical installations. Here, I think the consumers are being exploited by the industry, in terms of certifications. This happens even in the metros. So I guess the quality is bringing compromised in right at the initial stage of purchasing the entire product or application. And the intensity of this compromise is being carried away which is a threat to us. If we talk about generation in particular, then I would like to mention about the solar mission. There may be some gap in the achievement towards the government’s renewable target. Transition will take time but the solar will rise as a gigantic player. There may be different scenario; we may have additional duty imposed on the coal imports which may deepen the generation cost even more. The other fossil based generation is becoming more expensive. We are the net importer of the energy, and that we are already blessed with the solar and renewable energy, we must look at the indigenous energy technologies. We are working intensely towards the solar objective. We aim at installing solar at every household and convert every single roof as a productive asset of energy.  
Achieving decentralised model of energy through cables and wires
It’s more of a green energy, and I think we should be talking more about the wires and the conductors. Particularly the class 5 conductors, in this we should be talking about the size of insulation and the conductor. Class 5 conductors are technically appropriate and certified from the ICA also. And when we talk about the insulation we need to see whether the wires being used for it is PVC or it is FRLS wires. We were the first company to make my ordinary wire and 105 degree PVC. “RR Kabel has been catering the world. I found that the ambient temperature is above 40 degree, but they demand 105 degree. I made those PVC in 105 degree for 12 years, but have to discontinue it following the BIS instruction”, says Kabra. 
This actually took me 10 years behind. Back then, it was wither FRLS wire or halogen free wires. The cost differences back then during 1999 were very high but it was reduced gradually with time. So the demand for cultural changes, knowledge and awareness towards them is still a challenge. People are ready to risk their lives, risk their properties but they don’t possess the will to bear some extra cost towards safety. So, when we talk about smart, we must have a mandate first towards these safe installations in their electrical systems. If we are able to change this culture and adopt a new system which is effective, efficient and sustainable. The issue with people is not just affordability it’s more about shedding additional costs towards safety. So I guess, here media could play the vital role towards creating that level of awareness among the consumers and educating the people.
Solution to payouts to meet affordability 
When we talk about utility, we must change the culture first. “The government utility have been working towards meeting the public demands, so here it more about politicizing the needs by creating paths for political gains by means of electricity offerings. Unless we change the working culture working pattern within the system or the organization, the accountability can’t exist. The utilities don’t have any such change right now”, says Mayur.
Cost effectiveness requires transparency. If you compare the cost of electricity for the consumer v/s the cost of power purchase, there is a huge gap among the two and it’s difficult for us to understand that’s why we find demonstrations being held at different places as a part of awareness. Ironically the electricity act and the liberalization of the sector were to create a competition in the sector and reduce the cost, but we saw the reverse action with an increase in the cost. 
Also, we have a major issue pertaining to the quality. We have done some research-based studies towards the electrical infrastructure at the utilities, we found that the recurring purchases for assets whose longevity was supposed to be a minimum of 25 years, are being replaced frequently, because of which we have more recurring capital expenses borne by the utility but it’s the consumers who are paying for them. Unless we remove such efficiencies from the utility and their processes, the structure won’t become transparent. This can happen only if the start making the cultural changes in the organizations. Otherwise whatever finances are pumped towards the subsidies will be burdened further. Even though government has introduced towards reforming the distribution sector and making the cost more transparent and competitive is yet to be brought in action. 
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Dhananjay Sanas, Product Marketing Director, Power Business and smart Building Business, ABB Limited
“Technology has already ensured appropriate management of these things; and decentralised technology is expected to improvise more in the coming years”
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Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director, International Copper Association India
“We are the net importer of energy, and we are already blessed with solar and renewable energy; we must now look at the indigenous energy technologies.”
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Shreegopal Kabra, Managing Director and Group President, RR Global
“The demand for cultural changes, knowledge and awareness towards them will remain to be a challenge unless we change our mindsets towards it.”
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Bhagwat Singh Babel, Non-Executive Director, Secure Meters, RR Kabel – Mumbai, Past President –IEEMA
“When it comes to free access to fuels , people are concerned about the initial cost towards the same, so I think we must equate it for everyone in the future.”
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