RENEWCONNECT - All about renewables & power sector

  Electrification is accelerating, renewables are surging, and variability is turning operations —not just capacity —into the critical bottleneck. In this context, AI‑optimised real‑time generation is a high‑leverage intervention: it boosts efficiency and reliability, unlocks flexibility, and reduces emissions— if deployed with robust data foundations, market alignment, and safety‑by‑design. Global bodies (IRENA, DOE, PNNL/NREL) now frame digitalisation and AI as decisive enablers of the power transition, prioritising five value clusters: monitoring , forecasting , operational optimisation , end‑use automation , and transparency . [irena.org] , [energy.gov] India is already moving: Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signals from NLDC/Grid‑India adjust generator output every 4 seconds to stabilise frequency, with >50–70 plants and >51–67 GW under AGC; secondary reserves and SRAS frameworks are rolling out; and NTPC is launching fleet‑wide AI monitoring with Toshiba’s Eta...

Blanketing the world’s deserts with CSP (solar-thermal + long‑duration thermal storage) is an alluring idea: deserts offer high direct normal irradiance (DNI) , vast tracts of land, and low conflicts with agriculture. In theory, a fraction of the Sahara alone could supply global electricity via CSP/solar networks, enabled by HVDC transmission. In practice, CSP plays a strategic, dispatchable niche rather than an all‑purpose solution. PV+battery is now cheapest and fastest to deploy nearly everywhere, whereas CSP’s comparative advantage is hours-to-days of thermal storage , high‑temperature heat for industry , and grid inertia —especially in desert grids where evening peaks and firming needs are acute. CSP capacity and costs are moving, with notable traction in China and continuing operation in Morocco ; however, operational challenges and financing headwinds keep it from being the primary renewable globally. For India , select desert CSP hubs in Rajasthan/Gujarat co-located with ...

Green hydrogen–capable gas turbines (H₂‑GTs) promise firm, dispatchable, zero‑carbon power that can backstop high-renewables grids and decarbonize peaking and industrial generation. Within the last 24 months, OEMs have validated 100% H₂ dry‑low‑NOx (DLN) combustors at full pressure ratios—an inflection point that moves H₂‑GTs from concept to pilot-to-early commercialization in the late‑2020s. GE Vernova completed a campaign demonstrating 100% hydrogen operation with <25 ppm NOx (dry) and is targeting commercial solutions for its B‑ and E‑class fleet by 2026 ; Siemens Energy’s HYFLEXPOWER program operated an SGT‑400 on 100% H₂ on-site with integrated power‑to‑H₂‑to‑power; Mitsubishi Power has executed 50% H₂ co‑firing on an advanced‑class unit and is scaling projects tied to salt‑cavern hydrogen storage hubs. [gevernova.com] , [gasturbineworld.com] , [energytech.com] Yet, running turbines entirely on green hydrogen raises tight-linked system questions: Can the fuel be produc...

Tidal energy—delivered via tidal barrages/lagoons (tidal‑range) and in‑stream turbines (tidal‑stream)—offers predictable, twice‑daily generation that can complement variable wind and solar. The global installed base remains small (dozens to hundreds of MW) but maturing: the Sihwa Lake (South Korea, 254 MW) and La Rance (France, 240 MW) barrages demonstrate multi‑decadal performance, while the UK/EU pipeline for tidal stream projects is expanding under targeted revenue support. [en.wikipedia.org] , [en.wikipedia.org] , [oceanenerg...-europe.eu] Our thesis: Tidal power can play a material role in balanced decarbonization portfolios where site conditions (large tidal ranges or high‑velocity currents), policy frameworks and grid needs align. However, making tidal the primary renewable globally is neither realistic nor desirable: total practical resource is regional , costs remain higher than wind/solar, and environmental trade‑offs (especially for barrages) require careful gover...