NLC India Restricted has been a key participant in making certain the nation’s power safety for the previous 60 years. The corporate has expanded its involvement within the renewable power sector and is persistently rising its portfolio within the clear power area. It goals to attain a renewable power capability of 6 GW by 2030, constituting roughly 35 per cent of its complete portfolio. In an interview with Renewable Watch, Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, chairman and managing director, NLC India, talks in regards to the firm’s clear power methods and upcoming alternatives on this house. Excerpts…
What’s NLC’s present renewable energy portfolio? What’s the power combine?
NLC India began 67 years again and the corporate has lignite- coal- and renewable-based technology. Our complete put in energy technology capability is 6,071 MW, of which renewable power constitutes 24 per cent, which is 1,431 MW of capability and wind power constitutes 4 per cent of the full renewable power. By 2030, our share of renewable power will enhance to approximately 35 per cent, which is about 6 GW in 17 GW capability.
What are the corporate’s latest tasks and initiatives within the renewable power house?
Presently, the corporate has renewable power tasks of about 2,060 MW which are underneath implementation in varied components of the nation. We’re establishing a 300 MW solar energy undertaking at Barsingsar on land out there with us. The engineering, procurement and building (EPC) contractor has been appointed and we count on to fee the undertaking in the course of the second quarter of 2024-25. Furthermore, the corporate gained a 600 MW photo voltaic undertaking capability on the Khavda Photo voltaic Park, a undertaking being developed by Gujarat State Electrical energy Company Restricted in Bhuj district, Gujarat. The letter of award has been obtained and procurement tenders have been floated. We count on the undertaking to be commissioned throughout 2024-25.
As well as, an EPC contractor has been appointed for establishing a 200 MW photo voltaic undertaking on a pan-Indian foundation for improvement under the central public sector endeavor scheme. The undertaking may also be commissioned throughout 2024-25. We’ve got additionally gained a 810 MW photo voltaic undertaking from Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Restricted for improvement within the Pugal Solar Park, Rajasthan. For this, tenders have been floated for the appointment of the proprietor’s engineer. Tenders are additionally underneath finalisation for appointment of EPC contractors for the 150 MW wind-solar hybrid undertaking gained in 2022 underneath the Photo voltaic Vitality Company of India’s (SECI) hybrid tender. The corporate might be awarding this tender in one other one month’s time.
May you inform us about your upcoming lignite-to-methanol undertaking?
Our lignite-to-methanol plant, with 0.4 million metric tonne capability, is at a sophisticated stage of award at Neyveli. This undertaking will produce around 1,200 metric tonnes of methanol per day. This undertaking itself has the potential of saving imports of just about Rs 10 billion value of crude oil. The capex of this undertaking is round Rs 43 billion. We’ve got acquired assurance from the federal government for viability hole funding. We’ve got already tendered this undertaking and the technical analysis is occurring, wherein three events participated. We might be awarding the primary package deal of lignite to gasoline within the present monetary 12 months.
What are your plans within the inexperienced hydrogen house?
We’re initiating a pilot undertaking of 4 MW capacity within the Neyveli space. We’ve got already installed 4 MW of photo voltaic capability and are within the means of procuring the electrolyser. We might be producing inexperienced hydrogen on a pilot-scale by subsequent 12 months. The tender for this might be launched quickly. We are going to subsequently broaden our attain on this space, based mostly on the outcomes of this pilot undertaking.
What, in keeping with you, is the influence of the present international geopolitics and power disaster on the power transition? Have your operations been impacted by the availability chain uncertainties of the previous few years?
The power transition is definitely being propelled additional because of this disaster, contemplating the influence created by the uncertainties in provide and the necessity for power safety. The nation’s dependence on other nations for its integral power necessities is a danger issue.
As a consequence of these crises, two to a few years again, NLC considered fully phasing out thermal capability and putting in renewable capability to fulfill our necessities. Nevertheless, with power crises throughout the globe over the previous two years and the present disaster, NLC realised that each should go hand in hand to fulfill the power necessities of the nation. Until the nation is totally ready to fulfill the power storage requirement for integrating renewables, we should proceed to concentrate on thermal capability addition.
Our operations should not impacted by international developments as our enter materials is home. Photo voltaic module imports have reduced significantly and a transparent plan has been crafted for the long run, with higher home provide chains.
What are the professionals and cons of among the latest coverage interventions?
The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for bettering photo voltaic module manufacturing within the nation is successful within the renewables’ house. It’s making certain not solely the domestic manufacturing of modules but additionally greater effectivity of modules. The renewable technology obligation notification is one other essential hit. The true contribution and significance of the International Photo voltaic Alliance shaped by India must be extra distinguished within the international renewable power house as it will deliver holistic success to the human neighborhood throughout the globe.
One of many main challenges to fulfill the goal of 500 GW non-fossil-fuel-based power capability is the requirement of an enormous quantum of land. Going ahead, we must always have our personal tools manufacturing models and never import from different components of the world. There may be some hole within the PLI scheme when it comes to module requirement and home manufacturing, however as soon as equipment manufacturing begins, these domestic producers will be capable to meet the nation’s necessities.
What’s your view on the co-firing of biomass in thermal vegetation and what are the corporate’s plans on this house?
In keeping with the directive of blending not less than 5 per cent of biomass pellets in all coal-fired boilers, NLC has began procuring biomass pellets for its 1,000 MW Neyveli New Thermal Energy Challenge in Tuticorin. The blending of biomass pellets with lignite is just not doable due to security concerns. For this, we’re doing a trial at our Barsingsar energy undertaking in Rajasthan.
What are the corporate’s targets and plans for the subsequent 5 years?
Our company plan 2030 envisages reaching 17,171 MW of energy technology capability, together with 6,061 MW of renewable power capability. Nevertheless, we’re planning to revalidate targets within the present enterprise state of affairs and we count on that the share of renewables might be increased additional, with the addition of different companies resembling inexperienced hydrogen and electrical car charging infrastructure. Primarily based on the learnings and the skin financial components of our pilot 4 MW undertaking, we goal to enterprise into the inexperienced hydrogen house in an enormous approach. Vitality storage programs are set to play an important position within the energy sector ecosystem within the days to return. Our 8 MWh battery power storage system within the Andamans has given us an understanding and we plan to strive a pumped storage undertaking in our mine-void space in Neyveli. We might be nicely positioned within the power storage area. Additionalextra, the position of synthetic intelligence (AI) within the energy sector is but to be outlined clearly, however we’re planning to leverage the constructive advantages of AI in our operations and upkeep by means of predictive evaluation.
India has a goal to maneuver in the direction of 500 GW of non-fossil gasoline energy by 2030. However the primary constraint in that is storage. There’s a want to keep up a stability between standard and renewable energy technology, and balanced energy technology would be the profitable enterprise mannequin within the years to return, as skilled within the developed economies. The demand for energy is about to extend multifold within the years to return. So, capability must be added by means of non-polluting renewable power sources. Until there’s a correct storage system on the grid degree, the mixing of renewables might be tough.
Going ahead, pumped storage capability must be developed throughout the nation. Solely then is correct renewable power integration doable. At NLC, we’re additionally specializing in including storage to stability the aggressive renewables capability addition. On the similar time, we’re including coal- and lignite-based capability. This has to proceed for the subsequent 40 to 50 years.
