Renewable energy potential in Gujarat is concentrated heavily in a few pockets (viz. Khavda / Bhuj / Dwarka) and power is to be dispatched over long distances to other demand areas. Khavda IV C transmission line project will help evacuate power generated at Khavda renewable energy park and integrate it with the national grid. Khavda Renewable Energy Park has already received connectivity application. In this scenario, building transmission network for evacuation of renewable power from Khavda is very critical.
As renewable energy parks are being constructed in Gujarat, a synchronised augmentation in transmission & evacuation network is essential. If the transmission system fails to keep pace with the increase in renewable power generation, the mismatch will put immense pressure on the existing transmission infrastructure. Given the sporadic nature of electricity from renewable energy sources, augmentation and strengthening of transmission infrastructure is required to make it capable of handling the sudden surges in electricity during the peak hours. In the absence of power evacuation network, renewable energy plants may require to restrict generation of power, which result in huge financial losses to developers. By building evacuation network, savings can be made on cost of storing renewable energy which is around Rs 4.49 lakh/ MW per month. South Olpad-Boisar transmission line of Khavda IV C project will augment the power evacuation network in Gujarat, ensuring optimal utilisation of Gujarat’s RE potential.
Augmentation in transmission network through schemes like Khavda IV C will enable sale of generated renewable power without any constraints within Gujarat as well as in neighbouring states like Maharashtra. This will enhance financial viability and profitability of such projects, ultimately attracting new investment in Gujarat’s renewable energy sector. This has ripple effects in terms of development of entire power supply chain and employment generation. With prospects shining bright for Gujarat’s renewable power sector, the state’s power equipment manufacturing industry has witnessed growing sales, exports, and investments in the manufacturing facilities. Gujarat has evolved as a powerhouse in power equipment manufacturing as the state is producing ~63% of India’s cables, conductors, transmission towers, and transformers. Major manufacturing hubs like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Valsad have been evolved and are generating significant amount of employment and income. Many Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have also capitalised on the growing demand for solar & wind power and transmission line components, by producing solar panels, inverters, wind turbine parts, cables, and other related electrical equipment. This decentralised development of the state will help it accomplish the vision of ‘Viksit Gujarat’.
Gujarat Renewable Energy Policy 2023 aims to generate 50% of its power through renewable energy sources by 2030. By harnessing the state’s renewable energy potential, Gujarat can significantly reduce its carbon footprint and pave the way for sustainable future. Since Khavda IV C transmission project will be evacuating green power generated at Khavda renewable energy park, it will contribute in reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels for power generation. It will also result in reducing CO2 emissions as coal power plant typically emit CO2 of 1.1 kg/MWh. This will further culminate in improved air quality and lower economic loss caused by premature deaths & morbidity due to air pollution. Thus, Khavda IV C transmission project is a critical project that will not only decarbonise the national grid but will also accelerate Gujarat’s transition towards clean and green state.
A large number of renewable energy generation projects are coming up in Gujarat’s Kutch region whose power is getting disbursed through various substations. In the 12th Meeting of National Committee on Transmission, Central Electricity Authority, CMD Grid-India highlighted that almost 14,000 MW of power is getting pooled at Navsari substation. The pooling of large quantum of power at a single substation poses threat of complete outage of substation due to over-loading. This can further cascade into generation loss at renewable energy parks as well as financial losses due to power outage. South Olpad-Boisar transmission line of Khavda IV C transmission scheme along with the upcoming Olpad substation builds an alternate transmission corridor which will avoid single point of failure.