'Micro grids, net metering can reduce power outages'

To overcome the perennial problem of power outages, India needs to make a paradigm shift by creating a series of micro grids in rural and urban areas by harnessing renewable sources of energy, experts said.

To leverage the benefits, net-metering has to be adopted in a big way, they told reporters, during a agenda briefing on ‘Advances in Distributed Generation: Micro Grid, Net metering and Renewable Integration’, a workshop scheduled to be held on August 24 and 25 at the Central Power Research Institute.

The workshop is being organised by the Bangalore chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power & Energy Society (IEEE-PES).

“There is an urgent need to tap into and integrate renewable energy by using the two concepts which should be popularised and supported by the government,” said R Nagaraja, chairman of the Bangalore chapter of IEEE-PES.

Micro grids are smaller, decentralized versions of electricity systems that primarily rely on
renewable energy and cater to localised users who also generate it. Net metering refers to the sale of surplus energy to micro-grids for supply.