Sustainable Delivery of Green Power -Enabled by Core, Power Electronics, and Digital Technologies

This article by Akilur Rahman reinforces our comprehension of some of the relevant issues and solutions pertaining to green energy generation. In this regard, power electronics and digital technologies have responsible roles to play for realization of seamless and emission-less generation, distribution, and consumption of energy.

- Akilur Rahman

Renewable energy, be it solar, wind or hydroelectric, is becoming the key contributor to sustainability and green energy transition for a netzero future. In India more and more renewable energy-generation plants are being set-up in remote areas, for example, deserts of Rajasthan, salt marshlands of Kutch, Himalayan mountains of Leh-Ladakh, possibly in the sea (offshore) in future. In addition to setting up plants, what is challenging is to evacuate the power from these terrains, transmit, and deliver to the grid and load centres which may be hundreds or thousand kilometres away.

Evacuating Renewable Power from the Sources Efficiently and Sustainably Collecting the renewable power in the substations for transmission is an important step. Highest level of reliability and efficiency of equipment, system, and automation ensures renewable energy generated is not wasted or lost.

The equipment and their operation can contribute largely to reduce CO₂ footprint and emission. For example, green transformers filled with biodegradable ester can support 23% reduction of CO2 eq. emission over the product's life cycle. Additionally, 35% reduction of CO₂ emissions can be achieved from materials and process improvement. Gas-insulated switchgear with new eco-efficient sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)-free gas eliminates the addition of 2000 kilograms of SF6 into the transmission network, equivalent to the CO₂ emissions of almost 5000 cars for one year.

Transmitting Power Reliably with Reduced Environmental Footprint

The energy system now-a-days is undergoing a tremendous transformation. Owing to its speed and outcome it has gained, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a 'revolution. Increasing sustainability and environmental attention, supporting regulatory frameworks and new technology developments in the power sector are making electricity the backbone of the future energy system.