India working on hybrid solar solutions to cut power costs

Some of India's young and bright technologists are working on developing hybrid, off-grid solutions in solar energy space, that's expected to bring down electricity costs significantly and help suppy power without transmission lines.

Around 50 students drawn from various Indian Institutes of Technology have already had four-five "brainstorming" sessions, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, T Ramasami told PTI here.

"Fifty students from IITs is a pretty good number, and they are bright guys", he said.

Supported by the private sector industy and some other institutions, the hybrid solutions being developed are expected to be viable, he said, adding, the project is slated to be completed this month or May.

Ramasami explained that in the present-day system, to generate one megawatt of power, one needs Rs 20 crore investment and even then the cost of delivered power is high.

"So, instead of looking at bringing it down in a short-term, we are looking at hybrid where you don't have to store electricity", Ramasami said. "That, let's say, you use biofuel as a right option".

"There are several places in the country which do not have the transmission lines. So, (with these solar hybrid solutions) you don't have to syncronise power to power electronics and mount on it", he said, adding, the off-grid and mini-grid solutions would be helpful in areas without transmission lines.

He said the aim is to bring down the electricity cost to Rs nine per kilo watt hour (from the current level of Rs 20). "Rs nine is what it will cost for diesel power. So, they (the team members) are working on bringing it to that level".