Solar microgrids, which can help improve access to electricity, can be fully leveraged only with the help of a regulatory framework, according to a top executive of global power solutions provider ABB. Especially in a country like India where nearly 250 million people still do not have access to power.

Underlining the emerging potential of solar microgrids in India from the aspects of accessibility and dependability of electricity, Claudio Facchin, Global President, ABB's Power Grids Division, said, “There is a need to provide same level of reliable and affordable energy to remote places as in urban. They (rural/remote areas) may not have high demand in terms of quantity of megawatts but there is a demand in terms of quality of power.”

“It requires proper regulatory framework to be fully leveraged. Through microgrid, we can re-inject energy back into the grid. But it requires a sustainable business model and regulatory framework. The policy makers need to be aware about what technology can do in order to support economic growth in an efficient way,” Facchin told BusinessLine .

Commenting on the Indian regulatory environment, Facchin noted that the government's aim of “electricity access to all” is a major boost to make electricity accessible in villages and remote locations. “Micro-grid could be one of the technologies to support that but at the same time, strengthening the backbone of existing transmission infrastructure is needed in order to allow the whole country to achieve economic growth,” Facchin said.

He further stated that the potential users of the innovation would be commercial and industrial establishments besides the remote areas. This will also potentially replace diesel generators making energy consumption more environmentally friendly.

Currently, in India business establishments such as ABB are setting up micro-grids for their own use. Whereas, according to Facchin, there is a greater potential to reach out to 250 million power-starved population in the country by formulating regulatory framework to push for solar microgrids.

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