Aug 17
Illuminating the Island
Illuminating the Island
GIVING a major boost to the country’s quest for green energy, the Renewable Business Unit of L&T’s Power Transmission & Distribution (PT&D) arm has successfully commissioned India’s first largescale Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV)-cum-Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on the idyllic Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The commissioning of this solar power facility will reduce diesel consumption by about 5,000 kilolitres per annum, and in turn, slash government expenditure by up to Rs 25 crore. It will also reduce the carbon footprint of the Andaman Islands, as a substantial volume of its daytime power requirement will now be met through solar energy.
 
The project comprises a 2x10 MW solar plant integrated with 8 MWh BESS, and L&T has implemented it for NLC India Ltd, a Central public sector undertaking. The two plants have come up at Dollygunj and Attamapahad in Port Blair on South Andaman. L&T was awarded the contract for this project in early 2018. The project scope included design, engineering, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of 22 MWp (DC) / 20 MW (AC) solar plant and 16 MW / 8 MWh BESS along with operation and maintenance.
 
The project, part of the ‘Greening of the Islands’ initiative, is partly funded by the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. It was part-commissioned and inaugurated on 31 December 2018 by Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi; the full commissioning took place this June,  overcoming the challenges of COVID pandemic. A unique and crucial feature of the project is the lithium-ion based containerised BESS, meant for solar power smoothening. The feature attains significance in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as it witnesses frequent cloudy weather and rainfall, making the solar power output  fluctuate. The renewable smoothening with the help of BESS will improve the stability of the grid and allow higher renewable penetration.
 
The nine units of containerised BESS, put to use in this project, have been conceptualised and completely integrated in-house at L&T BESS Integration Facility at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. The Kanchipuram facility also has a full-fledged microgrid testing mechanism. 
The project also features L&T’s in-house developed intelligent Smart Microgrid Control system (iSMCS) and intelligent Storage & Renewable Management System (iSTREAMS) modules that help in seamless integration of solar plants with BESS and in the overall functioning.