Green Energy Corridor

Context:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the second phase of the Green Energy Corridor scheme for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) recently.

What are Green Energy Corridors?

• The Green Energy Corridor Project aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.
• It is a project for evacuation of renewable energy from generation points to the load centers by creating intra-state and inter-state transmission infrastructure.
• It is under implementation in renewable resource rich states for the likely renewable power capacity addition during 12thFive Year Plan period.
• The intra-state transmission component of the project is being implemented by the respective states and the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) is implementing inter-state transmission component.
• PGCIL has taken loans from Asian Development Bank for the project implementation.
• Funding of green energy corridors in both intra and inter State transmission projects, under the framework of cooperation between Govt. of India and Govt. of Germany, KfW Germany is providing soft loan to the tune of Euro 1 billion.
• Renewable rich States in India are (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu).

Green Energy Corridor(GEC) phase I-

• The Project aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.
• Under the first phase, 9,700 ckm of transmission lines and 22,600 MVA of substations are being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 10,141.7 crore.
• It is being implemented in Andhra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. 
• The project is being implemented in these states by the respective State Transmission Utilities (STUs).
• It will help supply around 24GW of renewable energy by 2022.
• The corridor forms an important component of the plan to maintain the grid frequency within the 49.90-50.05 Hz (hertz) band. 
• An automatic generation control recently made operational sends signals to power plants every four seconds to maintain frequency, ensuring the power grid’s reliability.
• Most projects for the first phase of the green energy corridor scheme have been awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding.

Phase II of Green Energy Corridor(GEC)-

• Under this phase, about 10,750 circuit kilometers (ckm) of transmission lines and around 27,500 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of substation capacity will be installed to facilitate electricity evacuation of around 20 giga watt (GW) of renewable energy projects.
• It covers Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
• The estimated cost of the scheme is Rs 12,031 crore, and 33 percent of the project cost will be met as central financial assistance.
• It will be implemented during 2021-22 to 2025-26 fiscal years.
• Though the size of the second phase of the scheme is higher than the first phase, it will receive lesser financial assistance from the Centre.

Significance:

• It will contribute to the long-term energy security of India and will promote ecologically sustainable growth by reducing carbon footprint.
  • It will facilitate in generating large direct and indirect employment opportunities for both the skilled and unskilled personnel.

Initiatives related to Green Energy

• International Solar Alliance
• One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG).
• National Solar Mission.
• Pradham Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM)
• Atal Jyoti Yojana
• Suryamitra Skill Development Programme
• Solar Park Scheme and Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme
• Rewa Solar Power Plant.
• National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy 2018.
• Hydrogen Based Fuel Cells Vehicles.

What is Green Energy?

• Green energy is any energy type that is generated from natural resources, such as sunlight, wind or water. 
• It often comes from renewable energy sources although there are some differences between renewable and green energy, which we will explore, below.
• Types:
  • The six most common forms are as follows:
  • Solar Power
    • This common renewable, green energy source is usually produced using photovoltaic cells that capture sunlight and turn it into electricity. 
    • Solar power is also used to heat buildings and for hot water as well as for cooking and lighting. 
    • Solar power has now become affordable enough to be used for domestic purposes including garden lighting, although it is also used on a larger scale to power entire neighbourhoods.
  • Wind Power
    • Particularly suited to offshore and higher altitude sites, wind energy uses the power of the flow of air around the world to push turbines that then generate electricity.
  • Hydropower
    • Also known as hydroelectric power, this type of green energy uses the flow of water in rivers, streams, dams or elsewhere to produce energy. 
    • Hydropower can even work on a small scale using the flow of water through pipes in the home or can come from evaporation, rainfall or the tides in the oceans.
  • Geothermal Energy
    • This type of green power uses thermal energy that has been stored just under the earth’s crust. 
    • While this resource requires drilling to access, thereby calling the environmental impact into question, it is a huge resource once tapped into. 
    • Geothermal energy has been used for bathing in hot springs for thousands of years and this same resource can be used for steam to turn turbines and generate electricity. 
  • Biomass
    • This renewable resource also needs to be carefully managed in order to be truly labelled as a ‘green energy’ source. 
    • Biomass power plants use wood waste, sawdust and combustible organic agricultural waste to create energy. 
    • While the burning of these materials releases greenhouse gas these emissions are still far lower than those from petroleum-based fuels.
  • Biofuels
    • Rather than burning biomass as mentioned above, these organic materials can be transformed into fuel such as ethanol and biodiesel. 
    • Having supplied just 2.7% of the world’s fuel for transport in 2010, the biofuels are estimated to have the capacity to meet over 25% of global transportation fuel demand by 2050.

Source: Economic Times

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