Organise power stations by smart control

In India, we are thinking on smart grids, but we also need to think and make a comprehensive plan to control all the power stations and plants by smart control.
Parag Yelegaonkar, Business Development Manager, Testo India Pvt Ltd
 The latest data from the Central Electricity Authority shows, the country will have a surplus of 3.1 per cent during peak hours and 1.1 per cent during non-peak hours during 2016-17. In 2015-16, the peak hour deficit stood at -3.2 per cent while non-peak hour deficit was at -2.1 per cent. The deficit was as high as 13 per cent about a decade ago. The data, based on gap between demand raised and demand met, shows that June onwards the country will have more electricity than required. Half of the states will be surplus, while others may face shortage in varying degrees. Western India will have surplus electricity at 6.9 per cent. Eastern region will have the maximum shortage of 10.3 per cent and north-eastern region at 8.3 per cent. The northern states will have a deficit of 1.8 per cent during the year. That means the installed capacity of eastern region is just 11 per cent of the total installed capacity of power plants of India and just 1.17 per cent of total installed capacity at northeast region. Hence transporting the electricity from other regions at the cost of T&D losses, will that not be too expensive and waste of money, infrastructure and resources? “Government needs to consider this and install power plants (solar, hydro, wind) in the eastern region to cater to this deficit and saves the T&D loss for the nation,” opines Parag Yelegaonkar, Business Development Manager, Testo India Pvt. Ltd.
“In India, we are thinking on smart grids, but we also need to think and make a comprehensive plan to control all the power stations and plants by smart control. This is nothing but to control the power plants for generation of electricity as per needs and available power evacuation facilities. Also the state discoms to design the power tariff in such a way that, end users will use the electricity in a cheaper way by managing their operations according to the surplus available and deficit. This can be achieved by giving cheaper rates while there is a surplus situation and higher rates during deficit of the power,” he adds while commenting on power surplus.
Changing the game with smart control systems As per Yelegaonkar, the game changer would be by bringing the smart control systems to reduce the T&D losses, optimisation of the operations of the power plants based on the seasons and resources availability. To operate the power generation plants based on the per cent deficit faced by the states and surplus available in the nearby states. To bring new technologies of the condition monitoring thereby reducing the loss of availability of the power plant and transmission line and switch yard equipment.
Reducing carbon emissionTesto plays a vital role in the transformation of the power industry from generation to transmission and further to the distribution in each sector of the power generation. This can be achieved by Testo thermal imagers, which are used for the predictive maintenance thereby reducing the electoral equipment downtime and increase the availability. The company also plays a vital role in reducing the carbon emission by providing the flue gas analysers to precisely measure the O2, CO, SOX and NOX levels in the boilers and engines used in power generation. This also leads to the energy conservation and the conservation of the environment.
T&M shown boostSharing the company’s turnaround story Yelegaonkar said, “If we see the trend of using the test and measuring instruments has shown boost and the power plant and transmission people are more aware to use the condition monitoring tools and carry out the predictive maintenance. The figures of incremental sales of thermal imagers and the flue gas analysers is a clear indication to substantiate this statement.”
Put up power plants“If the government is in the process of reviving the power addition, then primary thing would be putting up the plant and choose the type of power plants as per the trend of consumption in the rural and urban area and based on estimated migration to happen from rural to urban and vice-versa (if any?). Also implementation of smart grid and power plant optimisation by smart control systems based on supply, demand and available resources in short run and from the long term perspectives,” he briefs about the business opportunities.