Govt mandates automatic weather stations at renewable energy projects to ensure grid stability

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The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power, has directed all solar and wind projects of 50 megawatts (MW) or more to install automated weather stations (AWS) at generation sites for accurate real-time weather prediction, a process critical for resource planning, demand forecasting and grid stability. The mandate will also make renewable energy projects more efficient through better maintenance planning and downtime minimization.

For large solar or wind installations exceeding 150 MW, at least two AWS systems are required to be deployed. Additionally, if the plant area exceeds 10 sq km, an extra AWS must be added per 10 sq km.

Going ahead, all tenders floated by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) for solar and wind power projects will include a clause for the installation of AWS on the site, the CEA stated in its guidelines.

"All existing and upcoming wind and solar power projects with capacities of 50 MW or more are required to deploy AWS with specified sensors to monitor weather parameters including solar irradiance, wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and rainfall. The recorded data must be stored locally for a minimum of six months and shared with the National and Regional Load Dispatch Centres (NLDC/RLDC), State Load Dispatch Centres (SLDC), and Renewable Energy Management Centres (REMCs)," read the CEA document issued in July.

Also read: India’s non-fossil power generation capacity to touch 50% by December.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are intermittent, meaning their output can fluctuate due to changing weather patterns. Knowing when and where to expect changes in wind or sunlight helps grid operators prepare for these variations, ensuring that power from these renewable sources is smoothly integrated with other forms of energy, such as fossil fuels or hydropower.

The mandate come months after a massive and unprecedented power outage struck Spain and Portugal on April 28, plunging much of the Iberian Peninsula into darkness for several hours. The government of Spain later explained that the blackout was "caused by technical and planning errors that left the grid unable to handle a surge in voltage".

Many a time, forecasting errors also result in significant financial penalties for the renewable energy developers under the Deviation Settlement Mechanism, the CEA stated. In the electricity market, generators are required to submit a forecast of how much power they expect to produce for a particular period. If the actual generation (due to weather conditions, fluctuations in solar or wind output, etc.) differs from the scheduled generation, this leads to a deviation.

The Deviation Settlement Mechanism compensates for these deviations by financially settling the difference. If the generator produces more than scheduled, they may receive compensation; if they produce less, they may be penalized.