Microgrids to the rescue

Low-voltage direct current solar microgrids are the answer to support India's overburdened grid as well as the green transition

- GAURAV BHATIANI SOUMYA P GARNAIK

GIVEN LIMITED PROGRESS at COP30 on mitigation goals, resilience can no longer be a peripheral chapter in climate discourse. For India, this shift is significant.

According to the ministry of power, the country has already electrified almost all villages and accelerated clean energy transition. Yet power supply remains unreliable when most needed. The next task, thus, is to enhance reliability and resilience in the face of climate extremes.

India must reimagine its electricity network architecture. Strengthening the grid and raising standards are critical but will require time and investment. Further, most distribution companies are cashstrapped and have limited technical expertise. Even when enhanced standards are implemented, they will not eliminate damage. A decentralised, climate-resilient supply that activates when the main network falters is required. Low-voltage direct current solar microgrids offer an economical solution.

Microgrids are resilient by designelevated solar panels, batteries and robust wiring systems that can withstand extreme conditions. They can function as a secondary supply. This approach offers dual advantages-it is climate resilient and development-oriented.

India has the ambition to become a developed economy by 2047. To get there, every household, school, shop, and small business needs reliable electricity. The economic dividends of reliability far exceed the cost of microgrids.

Reliability underpins productivity, and productivity drives growth. Steady power expands consumption, supports digital commerce, strengthens education, improves public health, and spurs rural entrepreneurship. Climate resilience thus becomes a doorway to development.