India plans new weather satellite to stabilize its green energy grid

India is planning to launch a weather satellite and upgrade its prediction systems as climate change increasingly disrupts renewable power generation and impacts grid stability.

- Rituraj Baruah & Vijay C. Roy

The ministries of new and renewable energy and earth sciences are looking to develop a weather prediction and analysis system to better project climate patterns that affect solar and wind output, three people familiar with the matter told Mint.

As renewable energy capacity rises, unpredictable weather, from sudden cloud cover to drop in wind speed, is causing grid congestion, power generation curtailments and penalties for power producers. Improved forecasting and a dedicated satellite could reduce these operational issues and the financial risks they create for developers and consumers.