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World's large population lives in remote areas where electricity is unavailable or unreliable supply. For electricity supply, a low‐cost, minimum‐emission hybrid renewable energy system is necessary due to power shortages or unavailability, high electricity costs, and large greenhouse gas emissions. The current work develops a standalone hybrid power generating system and assesses its techno‐economic feasibility for rural sites in the Lucknow area of Northern India. To address the electric load requirement, the proposed work includes a system that includes a solar photovoltaic (SPV) module, a lead‐acid battery, a wind turbine (WT), and a diesel generator (DG). The system is sized and optimized using the hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources software. In this off‐grid system, the proposed system is intended for a home load need of 52.00 kWh/day with a peak of 11.04 kW. The technical and financial specifications are drawn from the local Indian market for the proposed standalone system. In this article, seven different resource combinations are investigated. A combination of 13 kW DG, 16 kW SPV, 50 kWh lead‐acid battery, 9 kW inverter, and 4 kW WT produces the best optimal system. With a 98.4% renewable portion, the cost of energy and total net present cost are $0.162/kWh and $57 390, respectively. The sensitivity analysis inflation and discount rates are 5.5% and 8%, respectively. As a consequence of the findings, we can conclude that the suggested standalone system is more cost‐effective for rural areas in Northern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrids system consisting of single or multiple energy resources and storage is used to provide electricity to remote rural areas. Subsequently, they can be worked in both grid-connected and islanded modes. Microgrids can provide stable energy solutions to areas where grid extension is either costly or not feasible. The system's long-term economic stability and sustainability must be considered throughout the microgrid's design. Renewable energy sources have a variety of objectives and possible restrictions. The current plan suggests a rural microgrid with integrated solar, diesel, and battery systems. The proposed microgrid for the rural area of Uttarakhand (India) is given a techno-economic and feasibility analysis. For the hilly region of India, a standalone microgrid is created to handle the home peak load of 13kW. Moth flam optimization (MFO) is utilized to optimize the proposed energy framework, and the results are compared with those of a genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The optimal hybrid system's net current and energy costs are calculated to be $58372.00, with the cost of energy per unit being $0.14/kWh. Sensitivity analysis and robustness viability have been performed for the configuration. The finding suggested that the energy framework using MFO is 18% and 16% less expensive than GA and PSO, respectively. This research adds new direction to critical sustainable development among developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power demand of isolated villages where on‐grid power supply is not economical can be met by standalone renewable energy system. Hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) considered in the current study involves photo‐voltaic, wind turbine, diesel generator, and battery. In the present study, the demand side energy management methods are used for energy management. The load shifting and strategic conservation methods are used. The energy management schemes are applied in the stage of load estimation. It is observed in the analysis that, the net present cost (NPC) of $55 263 is reduced to $34 009 with the application of demand side energy management strategies. The two control strategies, load‐following and predictive‐dispatch strategy are incorporated. The three types of batteries like lead‐acid, lithium‐ion, and zinc‐bromide are integrated, one at a time, for analysis. The analysis results in the optimal HRES configuration solution with the combination of both load shifting and strategic conservation techniques of demand side energy management. The NPC is reduced by 37% in comparison with the HRES without the application of energy management methods. The zinc‐bromide battery integrated HRES configuration through predictive dispatch control strategy with the application of demand side energy management schemes results in optimal solution for electrification of cluster of villages located in Uralagallu panchayat, Sagar Taluk, Shivamogga District, Karnataka, India. To the similar kind of geographical condition areas, the same HRES configuration with similar approach can be extended for electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas emissions and PM2.5 pollution from vehicular exhausts and the consequent negative externalities underline the urgency of investigating low-carbon pathways for the freight sector. This paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis to determine the implications of a modal shift in the freight sector for the environment, energy systems and the economy. Stakeholder consultations are used to develop the qualitative narratives that are further used to set the parameters in energy-economy optimization models for deriving quantitative pathways. Our analysis includes four scenarios: Current Policy (CPS), Road Focused (FROAD), Rail Technology (TRAIL) and Harmonized Multimodal (HMML). The HMML scenario follows a balanced approach harmonizing the twin goals of reducing imported fuels and carbon emissions that can simultaneously assist in achieving development and decarbonization targets. Our results show that the HMML scenario based on the multimodal approach of creating a level playing field for all modes can reduce fossil fuel imports by 87.6% and CO 2 emissions by 96%, relative to CPS in 2050. The HMML scenario also envisages significant macroeconomic benefits – the cost of logistics as a percentage of GDP falls to 11%, and there are cumulative foreign exchange savings of 3.8 trillion USD from 2016 to 2050. However, electrification, the leading technology for the respective decarbonizing modes, will need policies that enhance research and innovation on batteries and infrastructure investments for charging along national and state highways. The main policy insight from our analysis is that multimodal logistics policy needs to be designed in alignment with clean energy-based electrification policy and national rail plans so that uniform rules from the origin govern all modes to the destination of goods transport. • Modelling energy economy to analyse implications of modal shift. • Combining stakeholder consultations with quantitative evaluations. • Multimodal approach achieves development and mitigation goals at the same time. • Over 80% of savings on imports of fossil fuels are possible by 2050 relative to the current policy scenario. • Cumulative foreign exchange savings of 3.8 trillion USD can be achieved from 2016 to 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural and remote area electrification is of grave concern around the globe. Therefore, well-planned and cost-effective microgrids integrating renewable energy sources are emerging as effective solutions. However, the microgrid's stable operation and its future deployment is affected by the perturbations caused due to uncertainity in renewable sources, dependency on the battery state of charge, and load variation. So, considering the possible concerns affecting the planning and development of a microgrid for any given region, this paper proposes a comprehensive performance assessment of the hybrid residential microgrid based on a load model of Kibber village in Himachal Pradesh, India. The proposed approach is divided into three parts for the best planning of microgrids. Firstly, the MATLAB–Simulink software technically analyzes the system performance under perturbations considering the available renewable sources. Secondly, an economic analysis using HOMER Pro software is done to examine the cost-effectiveness of the proposed microgrid model through the simulation of electrical loads for Kibber village, considering the available renewable sources. Lastly, a real-time analysis of the proposed prototype of programmable logic controller-based hardware test bench has been developed, aiming for future regional microgrid deployment. System voltage, frequency, power shared, percentage of load met, energy cost, available renewable energy resource, etc. have been considered for validating the proposed controller. The proposed comprehensive assessment of the microgrid model is reproducible with necessary modifications for any geographical location. It will be helpful for its future deployment aiming at rural and remote electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the paper is on the renewable energy-based rural electrification system. Two concepts have been used in finding solutions to the issues related to this micro-grid system. The first is the best fitted model of hybrid configuration system, which utilizes village-owned resources, such as abundant biomass and solar irradiation. The second is that observed improved performance in terms of system sizing, techno-economic performance, and environmental stability of the hybrid model over different power storage backup media. The practical aspects and suggestion over the hybrid village electrification system have been presented through a case study of Korkadu village, Puducherry state, India. A comparative analysis of the hybrid model has been made with different power storage backup systems, namely the solid-state battery (lead acid-ASM battery, Li-ion-ASM battery) and flow battery (Redflow ZBM2 battery) arrangement. The result revealed hybrid rural electrification system with LI battery as the most favourable choice of the electrification system to the village, considering that its economic factor includes the total net present cost, cost of energy are found to be lowest. The technical parameters of power production capacity surface and battery state of charge were observed to be optimum with reduction in the environmental pollution parameter (GHS emission) value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The work done in this paper provides the solutions for power access to rural and remote areas in developing nations. • The proposed affordable solution offers many advantages over the traditional central inverters. It provides more output power as compared to traditional central inverters under shading and dusting conditions. The results are validated through experimental investigation with regard to Indian weather conditions. • The proposed solution presents an optimal sizing strategy for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) for the low power rural household application. In literature, this kind of solution is yet not reported which makes this work novel. • This work presents the customized design of solar microinverter based PV System for different power provisioning levels for rural EWS houses. The proposed solution has an added advantage of addition of load in future without change in existing infrastructure. Reliable power supply is the key requirement for developing nations. Most of these nations are trying to modernize the rural lives by electrification in remote areas. Access to electricity is a bare requirement in future ages. This paper discusses the challenges faced by the utility companies in ensuring sustained electricity access to the new consumers followed by the various solutions. The techno – economic aspects of the proposed solution is validated by the experimental study. Based on the results, an optimal low-cost design is proposed in order for everyone to fulfil the minimum power needs. The paper presents an optimal size strategy for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) for the low power rural household application. The solar microinverter based PV System has been designed based on the daily load needs for one of the proposed layout plans of the (Gramin) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna adopted by Government of India. The proposed designs are also applicable for other developing nations. The proposed micro-inverter has been tested under different operating conditions and experimental validation proves its superiority over other inverter types, particularly for a low power application, as is the case for a typical low-income rural household. Economic considerations such as payback period has also been evaluated in this study. In addition, the proposed microinverter technology has also been tested in terms of power quality parameters under various operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews and assesses India's energy policy in the context of its commitment to achieve the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. It emphasizes the central role of green electrification, particularly through the expansion of solar power capacity. It discusses policies outside the energy sector that need to be part of a strategy of achieving this target, including the use of information technology, infrastructure development, and transportation. Furthermore, it examines possible policy options for accelerating the target date to 2050, especially with the use of carbon capture to manage the transition from the current heavy use of coal. The paper also discusses the possible financial and growth implications of various strategy options, arguing that feasible external financing commitments can allow India to achieve net-zero goals without sacrificing economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effective utilisation of available renewable resources in rural region of Bihar for sustainable rural electrification. • Design of optimal model of on-grid as well as off-grid hybrid configuration of active distribution network (ADN) on integration of PV/biomass resources. • A comparative assessment for effective performance and management of produced energy of both on-grid as well as off-grid active distribution network has been done. • A proper investigation and assessment of proposed active distribution network on several techno-economic attributes has been performed. • Analysis of feasibility and pertinency of active distribution network for selected rural region on environmental concerns has been also done. • Impact of various dependent variable assessment on cost of energy and total net present cost for the practicality of proposed active distribution network has been done. Majority of rural areas in India have already been electrified, yet the disparity between demand and supply is considerably higher and broadened due to which nation's rapid financial growth as well as rising standards of living in both the urban as well as rural areas. Hence, the utilisation of renewable resources is rising steadily for the mitigation of such energy crisis. It has become necessity to use a hybrid sustainable energy system by exploiting the strengths of each source in combination with one another to minimise the dependence on the congested power grid. For the efficient use of readily available renewable energy and sustainable rural electrification, this study proposes an effective Active Distribution Network (ADN). A comprehensive techno-economic analysis has been performed on the design of an ADN system that includes the exploitation of solar and biomass energy as sources of power for sustainable rural electrification. In the proposed work, performance assessment elements such as output responses, component costs, feasibility and sensitivity of the project, emissions, inflation rate, and changing the pricing of integrant have been taken into consideration and analysed. Results shows the improvement in rural electrical system while lowering system energy costs along with consideration of environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Techno-economic analysis of hybrid solar-wind-biomass-battery system is proposed. • Numerical modelling and varied operational scenarios for the system are formulated. • Evaluating system feasibility across various power loss probabilities is conducted. • Giza Pyramids construction outperformed by $177 saving and 8% less simulation time. The economical electrification of rural settlements extensively utilizes renewable energy sources. In recent years, the deployment of solar photovoltaic, wind turbine, and biomass gasifier-based power generation technologies for electricity accessibility in remote regions has received greater prominence. This paper presents an optimal component design of a hybrid solar PV-wind and battery system along with a biomass gasifier to provide continuous electricity for rural communities of Uttarakhand, India. In this study, a recently developed population-based giza pyramids construction (GPC) methodology is applied to determine the optimal component sizing. The findings of the GPC method are contrasted with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) methodology to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method. The annualized system cost and levelized cost of energy of the hybrid renewable energy system have been minimized subject to technical reliability indicators such as loss of power supply probability and renewable fraction. Moreover, a systematic exploration of the system has been conducted to assess its optimal feasibility across different values of power loss probability ranging from (0% to 4%). The simulation indicates that the proposed method adeptly identifies globally optimal values, leading to a $177 decrease in annual cost and 8% reduction in average simulation time compared to PSO. The research reveals that the balanced point (relative attainment), where system reliability and cost-effectiveness intersect optimally, is achieved at a 3% power loss level, resulting in the most significant cost reduction of $199 compared to other probability levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of integrated hybrid renewable energy systems (IHRES) is gaining attention for electrification of rural areas where on‐grid electricity supply is uneconomical. From this point of view, the technical and economic feasibility analysis is carried out for a standalone IHRES in a remote area of Malnad region in Karnataka, India. Solar and wind energy are the prominent renewable resources available in the selected area for study. In the present study, lithium‐ion, lead‐acid and zinc‐bromide batteries effect on "PV‐WT‐DG‐Battery" system is examined and compared. The control strategies used in the study are "load following (LF)" and "predictive dispatch (PD)." The simulation results reveal that the "cost of energy (COE)" and "net present cost (NPC)" are found to be low in zinc‐bromide batterybased system with "PD control strategy." The NPC and COE are found to be $55 262 and $0.35 per kWh for optimal system. Zinc‐bromide batteries are best suited for remote electrification with less load demand. The sensitivity analysis shows that there is a minimal effect on the performance of the planned IHRES upon variation in the "inflation rate," "discount rate," and "diesel price." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper mainly deals with the optimum design and performance of the hybrid renewable electrification system for remote villages of southern part of India. Constructed and simulated a hybrid renewable energy (HRE) system, which was consists of fully village owned renewable resources such as solar, wind and biomass energies. Through this case study a typical Indian village load demand wants to meet out by suitable hybrid renewable configuration with optimum performance and least investment. The proposed system's technical performance was ensuring by highest renewable fraction and least annual unmet load percentage. The economical performances of the system were witnessed by the least net present cost and minimum cost of energy. The further sensitivity analysis of the proposed remote village electrification system has been verified by NREL's HOMER software tool. The outcome of the different HRE configuration's competitions were established that the PV/wind/biomass based hybrid renewable power generations at standalone mode was highly commendable electrification system for remote village energy sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are proving a promising solution for rural electrification in India, where grid power availability is limited. This paper aims to identify the optimal design and pre‐feasibility techno‐economic analysis of the hybrid grid‐independent renewable system for rural electrification. The proposed hybrid system integrates the various renewable energy system configurations to provide continuous power for the electric load demands of Kanakadri palle village, Andhra Pradesh, India. HOMER software is utilized to design the proposed hybrid system, perform optimization, techno‐economic analysis, and simulation. Here, six different hybrid system configurations were taken into account to perform a comparative economic analysis. The results obtained shows that one of the hybrid systems, PV/DG/converter/battery system (120 kW‐PV modules, 54 kW‐DG, 200 number of batteries with 260 Ah ratings, and 50 kW‐power converters), is the least economical optimal system based on least net present cost and Levelized cost of energy (COE), highest renewable fraction, and zero unmet electric loads percentage (NPC: $341 280, COE: $0.217, highest renewable fraction: 96.6% and unmet electric loads: 0%). For the site considered, this optimal hybrid system can provide a reliable power supply to the total energy requirements of 332.97 kWh/d and achieve 75.68% carbon emission reduction compared to a diesel generator. Moreover, the comparison of different system configurations was carried out based on economic analysis. This analysis shows that proposed hybrid system can be an appropriate model to provide reliable power at a low generation cost for the village considered in this study and can be recommended for future electrification projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Advancement of energy exploitation increased the demand for various alternative generation methods and efficient production and utilization systems. Such kind of alternative energy systems would be of great use in certain terrains like dry lands wherein drought is prevalent and scope for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is cost‐effective and a viable solution for power demand. Ramanathapuram is one such dry land in southern part of India which is a drought prone coastal district, which has surplus wind and solar energy to be harnessed effectively. However as PV systems are affected by various conditions like position of the sun, change in temperature, and irradiance due to passing clouds, improving the intermittency of solar power is mandatory which calls for an energy storage system, which is an electric vehicle in this article. The foremost idea behind this article is to develop a self‐sustained hybrid microgrid incorporating an electric vehicle in combination with the solar power system which enhances the performance of the system by absorbing the variations in power produced. In this work, the real field data from National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) is used to show the variation in temperature and irradiance. The main objective of the article is sustainable development of the dry land through natural resources which helps in the development of a permanent solution for the existing power crisis in the district. A coordinated control of a PV, Wind, and EV based microgrid is designed by considering the state‐of‐charge (SOC) of the battery to obtain desired outcome. The modeling is done in PSCAD/EMTDC and the results are verified through simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a prolonged agrarian impasse, agricultural production in West Bengal, India, grew at an unprecedented rate in the 1980s, a process in which the expansion of groundwater irrigation played an important role. The growth of groundwater irrigation and agricultural production, however, decelerated from the early 1990s. This paper argues that the deceleration in groundwater irrigation development in West Bengal since 1995 is primarily attributed to the adoption of different regulatory policies in two ways: directly, through controlling the overall installation of tubewells or decelerating tubewell electrification; and indirectly, through high electricity pricing for water use in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main factor having severe impact on lives of millions of people under the poverty line is energy deficiency. For the improvement of living and standard of education, there is a need to electrify the rural areas. India has an aim of achieving 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022. The use of Renewable Energy Technologies propounds huge benefits to rural areas. Over the past two decades, rural electrification has been a continuous process, accelerated through various programs and schemes. Uttar Pradesh state of India, located in the north central region of the country is the most populous state. Energy demand is increasing steadily with the development of the state. With respect to limited conventional energy sources and increasing environmental pollution, production of energy based on renewable energy sources is given high priority. This paper presents the current status of renewable energy in the state, renewable energy-based options for rural electrification including the single technology-based systems, integrated and the hybrid energy systems depending on availability of resources. The current scenario of power generation and requirement is also discussed. A complete analysis of the current CO2 emission and the mitigation potential of different RESs are presented. Based on this the cost saving potential is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural electrification is an essential requirement for improving the lives of people and improving their image among the international community. To install photovoltaic (PV) panels in isolated regions according to the government plans and regulations, solar-based microgrids are the best solution. However, there are several components required for installing and operating the microgrid, including its location of the microgrid. The present paper made an effort to explore the challenges encountered in installing solar-based microgrids, especially in hilly terrains of rural India. The review highlighted the varied technical difficulties including the stability, reliability, power imbalance, control and operation. Besides, the discussion on the stand-alone models of a microgrid along with its advantages, also been highlighted. Further, government initiatives like subsidies and funding for rural electrification also been presented. As a case study, two microgrids in India, one at Ladakh and one at west Bengal are presented. These case studies bring out the challenges faced during the rural electrification, and strategies adopted to overcome are given for the future scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Microgrid systems based on renewable energy sources can play a significant role in providing cost‐effective, environmentally friendly and reliable electrical supply to the people living in rural areas of India. This assessment aims to design and evaluate the performance of a grid‐connected microgrid system comprising of photovoltaic (PV) arrays, wind energy generating units and battery energy storage system (BESS). The realistic load data of a small village, Tandwal, located in Ambala district of Haryana, India, is considered for this assessment. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is performed to find out the effect of load demand, solar radiation, utility grid price, grid outages, capital cost of BESS, solar module cost and power converter loading ratio in the proposed microgrid system. The results show that the PV‐BESS‐utility grid system is an optimal solution with renewable energy penetration at the studied location. The feed‐in tariff/net metering makes the overall system sustainable and improves its reliability with unmet load as well as capacity shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the choices that might be needed for India's energy sector under alternative mitigation scenarios. The article draws on the CD-LINKS study—a collaborative EU project under which seven pathways based on different combinations of carbon budget (high and low) and policy implementation (early and late) were developed and examined. This study uses the MARKAL energy system model to develop these scenarios. The three broad strategies that emerge for India include decarbonisation of electricity, electrification of end-uses and improvement in energy efficiency. We conclude that by undertaking early action, India can potentially prevent carbon lock-in and leapfrog to renewables from coal in the power sector. However, early action scenarios exhibit higher cost than their delayed action counterparts. Several other barriers and challenges also need to be addressed in order to enable large-scale uptake of low-carbon technologies. India may need to come up with innovative mechanisms to ensure a smooth and just transition for the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's commitment to Paris Climate Change Agreement through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) will require the energy system to gradually move away from fossil fuels. The current energy system is witnessing a transformation to achieve these through renewable energy targets and enhanced energy efficiency (EE) actions in all sectors. More stringent global GHG mitigation targets of 2 °C and well below 2 °C regimes would impose further challenges and uncertainties for the Indian energy systems. This paper provides a quantitative assessment using bottom-up optimization model (AIM/Enduse) to assess these until 2050 for meeting carbon mitigation commitments while achieving the national sustainable development goals. Energy transformation trajectories under five scenarios synchronized with climate mitigation regimes are explored—Business As Usual scenario (BAU), NDC scenario, 2 °C scenarios (early and late actions), and well below 2 °C scenario. The key results from the study include (a) coal-based power plants older than 30 years under NDC and older than 20 years for deeper CO2 mitigation will be stranded before their lifetime, (b) increase in renewables of up to 225–280 GW by 2050 will require battery storage with improved integrated smart grid infrastructure, (c) growth in nuclear to 27–32 GW by 2050 is dependent on nuclear supply availability, (d) gradual shift towards electrification in industry, building, and transport sectors, and (e) installation of CCS technologies in power and industry sectors. Cumulative investments of up to 6–8 trillion USD (approximately) will be required during 2015–2030 to implement the actions required to transform the current energy systems in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRESs) are noteworthy devices for enhancement of reliability and performance compared to standalone systems, which are in a combination of more than one energy conversion system in a single unit. The recent developments in materials and technologies of HRESs are cost-effective and are more suitable power options for isolated rural areas. Many researchers have reported to have enhanced the performance of HRESs across India. Hence, this paper presents a comprehensive review of various HRESs that have been reported for their performance evaluation with respect to economic distance limit, techno-economic sensitivity, and optimum analysis. Also, different hybrid combinations are compared based on the factor of Net Present Cost (NPC), Cost of Energy (COE), renewable fraction, maximum renewable penetration, operational cost, and/or emission. Some case studies on various combinations of HRES for telecommunication application, rural electrification and water distillation are discussed and compared. It is concluded from the comprehensive review that there is scope for further studies on hybrid system across the country with adoption of different and newer combinations, materials and thermodynamic approaches. This paper will be helpful to researchers and scientists in understanding the state-of-the-art technologies in the hybrid system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the costs of solar PV continuously decrease and pollution legislation imposes less burning of agricultural residues, decentralized renewable energy is increasingly affordable for providing electricity to one billion people lacking access to a power grid. This paper presents a techno-economic feasibility case study of biomass gasification in off-grid and grid-connected mini-grids for community-scale energy application in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Energy demand data was collected through surveys in a village with irrigation and agro-processing loads and off-grid households and used to construct a seasonal load profile based on statistical methods. This was used to simulate single-source and hybrid mini-grids based on solar PV, biomass gasification and diesel generation using HOMER Pro. Hybrid PV-biomass or PV-diesel systems were found to offer the highest reliability for off-grid power at the lowest cost. Single-source PV was cheaper than biomass gasification, though the cost of electricity is highly sensitive to biomass supply and gasifier maintenance. Both renewable options were around half the cost of diesel generation. The findings held across grid-connected systems with weak, moderate and strong reliability of grid supply. This suggests that biomass gasification-based mini-grids are not cost-competitive with PV unless the two generation sources are combined in a hybrid system, though they require operational testing prior to implementation. Image 1 • Hybrid PV–biomass or PV–diesel systems offer higher reliability at lower cost. • PV is cheaper than biomass gasification mini-grids for productive energy provision. • Grid-connected PV offers lowest LCOE over 20 years for strong and weak grid supply. • LCOE of biomass systems is highly sensitive to biomass requirement and maintenance. • PV–biomass systems appear resilient to operating parameters but lack field testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burning of crop residues aggravates already existing pollution caused by coal‐based thermal power plants in most of the developing countries such as India. Crop residue consists mainly of organic compounds and can be efficiently utilized to produce biogas in a sustainable way through anaerobic digestion. This study proposes a microgrid (MG) system for the effective utilization of available renewable resources and reliable rural electrification. The detailed techno‐economic analysis of the design of a solar and biomass‐based MG system was performed. Two MG systems, namely, MG‐A having photovoltaic (PV), biomass‐based generating units, connected to an unreliable grid, and MG‐B having PV, biomass, and battery units working in the isolated mode, were designed for reliable rural electrification. Different performance‐assessment parameters such as generation responses, component cost, project feasibility, emissions, inflation rate, and fuel prices were taken into account during the investigation. This study concludes that a grid‐connected MG system is more capable of providing reliable electricity with reduced energy costs than an islanded MG system. In addition, the proposed MG power system helps to mitigate pollutant emission into the atmosphere by effectively utilizing the abundant biomass resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy storage is a promising solution to overcome the intermittency and demand-supply mismatch problem in hybrid renewable energy systems. The objective of the present study is to prioritize ten electrical energy storage systems by using an innovative ranking framework, considering different criteria. Further, a techno-economic study of a hybrid renewable energy system is performed for rural area electrification, where the present selection strategy of the storage system is incorporated in the system design. Due to the conflicting nature of these criteria, a fuzzy assisted Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method based framework is employed for its prioritization. The effect of variation of the weights on the criteria is also investigated through a sensitivity analysis. The framework is used to design an optimum hybrid renewable energy system for a remote village in India using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables tool. The results of the ranking show that pumped hydro storage, compressed air energy storage, and lead-acid batteries are the top three electrical energy storage systems that present more benefits for renewable energy integration for the present case. Moreover, adopting a storage system selection strategy can further reduce the cost of energy of the system. Therefore, the present framework provides a systematic procedure of storage system selection for renewable energy integration by considering different conflicting criteria for case-specific application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved capabilities in microfluidics, electrochemistry, and portable assays have resulted in the development of a wide range of point-of-use sensors intended for environmental, medical, and agricultural applications in resource-limited environments of developing countries. However, these devices are frequently developed without direct interaction with their often-remote intended user base, creating the potential for a disconnect between users' actual needs and those perceived by sensor developers. As different analytical techniques have inherent strengths and limitations, effective measurement solution development requires determination of desired sensor attributes early in the development process. In this work, we present our findings on design priorities for point-of-use microbial water sensors based on fieldwork in rural India, as well as a guide to fieldwork methodologies for determining desired sensor attributes. We utilized group design workshops for initial identification of design priorities, and then conducted choice-based conjoint analysis interviews for quantification of user preferences among these priorities. We found the highest user preference for integrated reporting of contaminant concentration and recommended actions, as well as significant preferences for mostly reusable sensor architectures, same-day results, and combined ingredients. These findings serve as a framework for future microbial sensor development and a guide for fieldwork-based understanding of user needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies and assesses the perspectives of four key stakeholder groups towards solar minigrids in rural India. The stakeholders considered are policymakers, minigrid developers and operators, development organizations, and national grid representatives. Recent state and national policies in India have increased the focus on minigrids and their services. In this study, stakeholder interviews were employed to identify the attitudes towards the recent electricity policy, the underlying context for minigrid development, the role of minigrids in rural electrification, and the inclusion of minigrid systems within the larger framework of electricity sector policies by the recent government minigrid policies. Results indicate that stakeholders agree that minigrids, as a rural electricity service, are currently viable to complement the national grid due to their high reliability, performance in remote regions, and diminishing cost per unit. However, stakeholders disagree on the future outcomes, with diverging views on the priority of minigrids as an electrification tool in the face of the expanding central grid, the ideal implementation strategy for minigrids, and the potential for grid‐minigrid interaction. Based on stakeholder feedback, the growth of minigrids in India is likely to be constrained by the confidence in recent policies, necessitating more frequent dialogue among decision makers and a solidified relationship to the national electricity grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, more than a billion rural dwellers live without electricity. Billions more endure awfully intermittent service even when connected to the grid. Most of these access challenged communities are in the Global South and may benefit from surging spread of distributed energy resources. However, associated investment necessity is large and so is the time required to address infrastructural bottlenecks. Recognising criticality of universal access to affordable, eco-friendly and reliable electricity in inclusive human development, the United Nations adopted 'affordable and clean energy' as one of the Sustainable Development Goals. To treasure electricity access, measurement of the same is important. The evolution of electricity access measurement has given rise to multi-tier, multi-parameter matrix. This improved measurement framework has facilitated researchers and policymakers in capturing various electricity access parameters in order to script focused energy strategy for the common man. This paper studies electricity availability, consumer aspiration and prevailing consumption in an impoverished, isolated, high-altitude valley, nestled in the Himalayas in India. It outlines evolving technology-aided, access measurement supported innovative access tier advancement opportunities in the valley. The result underscores the importance of consumer-focused approach for improving infrastructure utilisation. Consumer collaboration may result in fast, economical access advancement. Supply reliability may transform from abrupt complete disruption to gradual, cognisant decay. Such transition may encourage consumers to avoid costly, individual backup and instead use available resources sensibly. Embedding aspiration-supporting nudge in electricity regulation may promote co-operation, helping empowered consumers in scaling access tier affordably. • Electricity metering has advanced since comprehensive consumption reporting. • Metering advances can at present support inexpensive consumer Collaboration. • Collaborative consumption may help consumers scale access tier inexpensively. • Improved resource use may favourably impact affordability and consumer utility. • Participative consumption may promote equity, inclusivity and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimum design and economic analysis of HRES for rural electrification in Korkadu. • RES are solar PV, wind turbine and bio-diesel generators. • Estimates the load forecasting for selected district in the Pre- HOMER analysis. • Desired HRES has to meet forecasted load demand for reliable electrification. This paper validates the optimal design and techno-economic feasibility of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for rural area electrifying applications. Plan to a design of improved performance electrification system through village owned renewable resources, such as solar irradiations, wind speed and bio mass etc. The selected HRE system has to meet out electrical needs in optimum performance manner. Hear conducted a case study on remote village Korkadu is located in Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. The expected village demand of 179.32 Kwh/day and peak of 19.56 Kw was met with proposed HRE structure, which is consists of solar PV array, wind turbine, Bio mass power generator and Battery backup system in effectively. Load growth of the village was predicted through artificial neural network (ANN-BP) feed-back propagation and Levenberg-Marguardt (LM) data training optimum technique. Encounter the optimum performance of different HRE configuration was evaluated over by HOMER software. System's economic dispatch was analysed through various dispatch strategy and come across the proposing companied dispatch strategy has more economical and performance benefits as total NPC of system as INR 1.21 million, one unit energy generation cost as INR 13.71 and annual battery throughput as 36.648 KWh/yr. This study also expresses the comparison analysis between proposed HRES structure performance with basic utility grid extension. The consequence of the proposed work shows the HRES in remote location can be a cost effective solution for sustainable development of rural regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First time the solar-wind-biogas-VRFB integrated micrgrid is modeled and validated. • The capacity optimization and energy management with lowest LCOE is done by HOMER. • Peak load shaving with optimal sources and grid is shown by PSCAD using real data. • Optimal schedule of renewable sources and VRFB ensures zero LPSP at consumer end. • Financial study of hybrid microgrid demonstrates project viability and up scaling. Uninterrupted access to electric power has become the basic need of today's world. Rural parts of many countries still do not have access to electricity or have electric power access to weak distribution grids with inadequate transmission and distribution system infrastructure. However, the countries where there is an abundance of solar radiation, a good potential of bio-degradable waste and average availability of wind source, access to electricity for those remote areas can be managed by distributed power generation. Considering the fact that the renewable energy sources (Solar, Wind etc.) are intermittent in nature, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and other reservoirs like biogas energy sources are the potential candidates to be integrated with the renewable sources to ensure continuous access to electricity and energy security. In this paper, a unique combination of Solar PV, Wind, Biomass and Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) storage integrated hybrid Microgrid has been modeled and implemented practically for the first time. The capacity selection of different renewable sources for satisfying daily energy demand and their techno-commercial optimization has been performed through HOMER simulation. Further, the peak load shaving that is a limitation of HOMER model, has been established through PSCAD simulation by providing the real life data of different renewable sources, VRFB storage and the load profile as input to the model. The simulation model performances have been validated by a practical 10 kW P solar PV, 1 kW wind and 15 kVA Biogas generator integrated with 1 kW 6 h VRFB storage based Microgrid installed at India Institute of Engineering Science and Technology campus, India. In addition to these, zero loss of power supply probability (LPSP) has been ensured by implementing smart scheduling and controller considering the intermittency of the renewable sources. As a part of the financial analysis, project Investment on Return (IRR) and pay back has been calculated considering initial investment, operation and maintenance cost and revenue of generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an economic and enhanced technological solution for rural electrification of a village Jalalabad, in Ghaziabad District, Uttar Pradesh state, India. The considered system concentrates on optimal sizing of an integrated renewable energy system (IRES) with grid provide a more continuous power supply with respect to the existing system. The different available sources Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV), Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and a time constrained grid are considered in designing of the system. The system size optimization, sensitivity analysis and techno-economic viability has been done by using a standard software tool HOMER to fulfil the demand of the study area under consideration. A demand response strategy has been applied for the different load profiles. The configuration with the lowest Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and Total Net Present Cost (TNPC) with maximum value of renewable fraction (RF) has been considered as optimum. This ensures the minimization of the Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission. A comparative analysis has been presented showing the impact of the demand response on the LCOE and NPC as well as the system size. The economic analysis has been done according to four different cases obtained by varying the fraction (β NELS) of non-essential load shifting. It has been observed that the value of LCOE with the strategy of demand response and optimal resource management under which β NELS = 0.25 is reduced Rs. 11.23/kWh and Rs. 8.36/kWh with the grid tariff Rs.10/kWh and Rs.6/kWh respectively while the value of TNPC Rs. 1.99 × 107 and Rs. 1.48 × 107 respectively with the maximum renewable fraction of 31.06. An exhaustive performance analysis has been done and the obtained results show the effectiveness of proposed resource and demand management to provide 24 × 7 supply with limited, time constrained grid availability. • An economic, enhanced solution for PV & BESS with grid is determined in this study. • Demand response and resource optimization is used to achieve 24 × 7 power supply. • Optimal sizing, sensitivity analysis and energy cost with grid price is analyzed. • Demand response strategy has been used to reduce LCOE & TNPC. • It is found that LCOE & TNPC decrease with fractional non-essential load shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-country study estimates the effect of household electrification on labor market outcomes for rural individuals in India and South Africa, two developing countries that have implemented large-scale rural electrification schemes in recent decades. Two identification strategies are used: propensity score matching and panel fixed effects estimation. We focus on three indicators of labor market success: employment, earnings and hours worked. We find that electrification raises the annual incomes earned by those who work in paid employment, for both men and women in both countries. For India, both genders work fewer hours, suggesting that electricity raises productivity. For South Africa, where the labor market has less absorptive capacity, there is no employment benefit of electrification. But women who work benefit the most from the productivity gains of electrification: they have greater increases in earnings than men. Our findings suggest that the benefits of electrification do not accrue universally, but rather depend on gender roles, supporting policies and the labor absorptive capacity of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standal, Karina. Challenges of Gender, Power and Change in Solar Energy Interventions in Rural India: Imagined Beneficiaries and the Making of Women's Empowerment in the Village Electrification Project Standal, Karina. Towards the end of her analysis, Standal discusses and summarizes several reasons why the Village Electrification project was unsuccessful and subsequently collapsed. [Extracted from the article]

Millions of rural households in India lack access to clean basic lighting which hampers the ability of children to study during dark hours. Over 81 million students are likely to be dependent on kerosene lamps for basic lighting. Despite programmes focusing on disseminating solar lanterns since the last three decades, penetration is limited owing to three main barriers: affordability, absence of after-sales services and unavailability in rural markets. This paper presents the localization-affordability-saturation (LAS) model that addresses these main barriers by bringing together three institutional spheres - government, corporate and NGOs for speedy upscaling. This paper illustrates experiences and challenges that have emerged from field testing of the model through Million Solar Urja Lamp Programme while disseminating 1,000,000 solar study lamps to rural school children residing in more than 10,000 villages in India. Though implemented successfully, applicability of LAS model can be hindered due to dependence on subsidies, bottlenecks in local manufacturing infrastructure, absence of market mechanism and its relevance in providing complete lighting solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to model a hybrid energy system for rural India. In this analysis a hybrid renewable system consists of solar-wind-hydrokinetic-bioenergy is proposed. Overall analysis including Optimization and sensitive analysis are evaluated by HOMER software. Optimized results are evaluated considering total net present cost, cost of energy, annual electric generation, renewable fraction and CO 2 emission. The analysis is done in order to increase efficiency of the system with comparatively less cost. From this exercise it is found that, combinations of more varieties of different renewable energy system are better to fulfill futuristic demand. Futuristic demand is calculated by logistic growth model. The value of COEs ($) and total generations (kWh/yr) are 0.3563 and 133045; 0.247 and 170948; 0.242 and 179018; 0.241 and 179303 for the year (2012–2021), (2022–2031), (2032–2041) and (2042–2051) respectively. However some other combinations may produce more power, although in such cases, in order to storage excess power COE will increase. As compared to the year (2012–2021) to (2042–2051) the optimized COE of electricity is minimized, keeping Annual cost nearly constant and amount of electric generation is increased without much effect on environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Rural electrification rates in India lag behind government goals, in part due to the inability of distribution companies (discoms) to fund central grid expansion. In the absence of central grid electrification, mini-grids offer significant potential for an immediate pathway toward rural electrification and the attendant gains in economic growth and productivity. Yet private investment in mini-grids has been virtually absent in India. Using a comprehensive life-cycle cost analysis, we find that mini-grids based on solar PV power and storage are more economical than incumbent energy services available to households without central grid connection. Under current law, a prospective entrepreneur in India does not require a license or certification in order to build a mini-grid and subsequently provide electricity services in the area covered by said installation. Conversely, there is no legal or regulatory framework that specifies what is to happen if the central grid were to be extended to an area that is already covered by a mini-grid. We report detailed survey evidence from interviews with entrepreneurs, analysts and policymakers whose assessments converge on the same point: mini-grid investments would be jeopardized in the event of central grid extension, precisely because discoms would, by regulatory order, provide electricity services at highly subsidized rates, well below their full economic cost. Our fieldwork suggests that the threat of central grid extension is a gateway barrier preventing mini-grid development in India. The issues associated with the gateway barrier have common elements with the so-called holdup problem as identified in the economics of organizations. There have been two recent federal policy guidelines and one actual state-level policy addressing the regulatory status of mini-grids. We examine the effectiveness of these policies/proposals in terms of an entrepreneur’s willingness to develop mini-grids in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of access to electricity in rural areas hinders productive activities, which in turn affects sustainable rural development. Off-grid electrification options can offer an alternative but in order to develop productive uses of electricity in off-grid area, a detailed study of livelihoods and potential areas for improvement in the value chain is required. This paper reports such a study where a livelihood baseline survey was undertaken in a cluster of five remote off-grid villages in Dhenkanal district of Odisha (India) and through a series of interviews, focused group meetings and stakeholder interactions, the study finds that value-added services can be developed through an off-grid electrification intervention. Electrification can support productive activities, thereby offering an opportunity for improved income generation and a better quality of life and a transition to cleaner energy sources. The study provides a novel value chain framework for linking off-grid projects with local livelihoods replicable across multiple geographies ensuring sustainability of these projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roughly 400 million people in India had no access to electricity in 2011. With concerted efforts by the government, the electrification progressed fast to achieve near universal electrification in 2019. Despite the commendable progress, multiple challenges continue to afflict the sector. If policies and actions to sustain electrification and encourage development are to be successful, understanding the nature of drivers and barriers is essential. However, there has not been any systematic attempt to comprehensively identify and analyze the drivers and barriers to rural electrification. This study tried to identify and systematically prioritize the drivers and barriers, based on their strengths, for centralized grid and renewable energy (RE)-based mini-grids using a common analytical framework. The drivers and barriers were first identified through an exhaustive study of literature and consultations with electricity sector experts. Thereafter, their strengths were analyzed based on a perception survey with sector actors. The research provides lessons that despite achieving near-universal electrification, there are barriers to the advancement and sustenance of central grid and mini-grids. The results specify that driver and barrier elements with higher scores are across the political, economic, and financial categories. In contrast, institutional and social categories are ranked lower. The overall ranking indicates that enabling policies and government support to be the most significant driver for grid expansion. For RE-based mini-grids, convergence with livelihood programs and electricity for irrigation are perceived as strong drivers. The high cost of electricity and customers' inability to pay are perceived as barriers for both central grid and mini-grids. • India has achieved near-universal electrification in the year 2019. • No systematic study was done to analyze drivers & barriers to electrification. • The study made a novel attempt to identify & prioritize the drivers & barriers. • Despite near-universal access, there are still barriers to electricity supply. • Study provides lessons for access-deficit countries to expand electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, renewable energy based power generation has proven to be a cost-effective solution in stand-alone applications in the regions where grid extension is difficult. The present study focused on the development of models for optimal sizing of integrated renewable energy (IRE) system to satisfy the energy needs in different load sectors of four different zones considered in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka state in India. The objective of the study is to minimize the total cost of generation and cost of energy using genetic algorithm (GA) based approach. Considering optimization power factor (OPF) and expected energy not supplied (EENS), optimum system feasibility has been investigated. Based on the study, it has been found that IRES is able to provide a feasible solution between 1.0 and 0.8 OPF values. However, power deficit occurs at OPF values less than 0.8 and the proposed model becomes infeasible under such conditions. Customer interruption cost (CIC) and deficit energy (DE) for all zones were also computed to quantify the reliability of the systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of Bihar in India has approximately 75 million people with no access to electricity. The government of India has pursued a policy of rural electrification through the provision of centralised coal-fired power which has been unable to resolve the low levels of electrification. Coal supply woes in India have led Indian companies to pursue new coal mines in Australia's Galilee Basin. The costs of these mining ventures will be high due to the mining infrastructure required and long transport distances to rural India. A high level analysis of mining, transport and power station investment to meet rural demand in Bihar shows that the absolute investment requirement using coal, especially coal sourced from Australia, as an expensive option. Pursuing electrification through village level, renewable energy micro-systems provides more flexibility. Pollution costs associated with coal-fired generation, employment benefits associated with many village implementations and a rural load unsupported by industry load, show a benefit associated with decentralised, renewable energy electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy deficiency is one of the key enigmas impacting the livelihood of millions of poverty stricken people throughout the world. It is quite evident that electrification of rural areas can improve the standard of education, health conditions, living and empowering the youth of the nearby population. Uttarakhand state of India is mainly encompassing southern periphery of Himalayas. Census of India reveals that about 123 numbers of villages and 1966 numbers of village hamlets are still unelectrified in the state. Electrification of these villages/hamlets of remote hills using renewable energy resources in off-grid mode is a feasible option compared to uneconomical grid extension. State has identified small hydro power potential of 1500 MW, mean annual daily solar radiation of 4.5–5.5 kWh/m 2 with 300 sunny days in a year, enormous forest foliage, crop residue, animal waste and mean annual wind speed of 5–5.5 m/s in some places of the state. The present study comprises the utilization of single technology based system such as small hydro, biomass, biogas, solar and small wind turbines etc. and also aggregated technology, depending on the availability of the resources in the present locality. A methodological framework has been established to avail the demand and resources assessment of the area. Various barriers and issues are finally discussed, which leads to a greater obstacle, in the path of system implementation. In order to address these barriers and issues, suitable solutions are recommended in the present context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is blessed with rich solar energy and if exploited efficiently, the country has the potential of producing trillionkilowatts of electricity. Sunlight is converted to electricity directly when made to fall on solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules. Systems/devices are made for various applications based on SPV modules connected with suitably designed power conditioning units for meeting electricity requirements. These systems/devices are designed to work in off-grid mode (usually supported with batteries to allow use when sunlight is low or during night). In recent years solar PV systems became viable and attractive. Utility scale plants are being set up worldwide with promotional mechanisms which are set up on ground surface. Available roof-top area on the buildings can also be used for setting up solar PV power plants, and thus dispensing with the requirement of free land area. The electricity generated from SPV systems can also be fed to the distribution or transmission grid after conditioning to suit grid Integration. Currently, whole world is in the midst of an energy revolution that is fundamentally changing the future of rural electrification. So we present a review in this paper on today's policy and status of grid connected roof top PV system in Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether adequate opportunities exist for full decarbonisation of the Indian energy sector and highlights where enough choices for full decarbonisation by 2050 do not exist. The study suggests transformative levels of electrification, energy efficiency improvements, and a switch towards decarbonised fuels (largely green hydrogen, decarbonised electricity, and bioenergy) as the three mainstays of India's decarbonisation strategy that could plausibly shift the energy sector towards a net-zero emissions future. The study also indicates that the heavy freight and industrial sectors face challenges in achieving full decarbonisation because of a lack of adequate technological solutions. Accordingly, residual emissions of about 1.3 gigatonnes in the system would require carbon sequestration options, including both technological and nature-based solutions, to achieve net-zero emissions. This study is expected to encourage further deliberations and deep dives into energy sub-sectors, which would benefit planners and policymakers in delineating India's sustainable energy transition strategy. • Analysis of decarbonisation potential of Indian energy sector. • Transformative electrification, EE improvements & decarbonised fuels would be needed. • Bio-energy, Green hydrogen, and decarbonised electricity as key decarbonising fuels. • Despite pushing technological limits, around 1.3 Gt of CO 2 e emissions remain. • Sequestration options needed to enable energy sector's NZE transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a case study for powering energy poor remote rural communities of Eastern India with locally available solar, biomass, diesel energy resources using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables tool to identify the optimized system architecture. The selection of the energy resources has been based on the performance assessment of the resources. The software tool brings four different categorized optimized hybrid configurations using different architectures of resources mentioned above with battery bank. The study exposed that cost of electricity, and net present cost of the most suitable low cost optimized hybrid configuration (600 kW solar photo-voltaic/10 kW biomass generator/50 kW diesel generator/1000 kWh battery/200 kW bidirectional converter) is $0.222/kWh and $0.922 M. The system benefits in terms of reduced emissions and improved system economics. The use of solar energy resource in optimal system modelling provides 45.5% return of investment, 49.4% internal rate of return, payback period of 2.04 years, and discounted payback of 2.25 years from the system without solar photo-voltaic component. Additionally, variation of cost of electricity is analyzed by interpreting sensitivity variables affecting load, system economics, and power production of energy sources using one-dimensional and distinguished multi-dimensional approaches. Eventually, the proposed configuration suitability is justified by comparing with the esteemed works from existing literature. • Performance analysis of local renewable energy sources for the remote Eastern India. • Optimal sizing of off-grid solar photo-voltaic/biomass/diesel/battery hybrid system. • Exclusive self-sustained power supply modeling approach. • Impact assessment of hybrid system after inclusion of solar photo-voltaic resource. • Sensitivity analysis of hybrid system using an unique three-dimensional approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to bridge the gaps to produce sustainable energy cost-effectively and technically efficient. The paper explores the techno-economic-environmental viability of photovoltaic (PV)/biomass energy potential for a rural village, Sidhwanbet, Punjab, India. The data investigation was performed by HOMER Pro v3.14 software. A hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) was designed, simulated and modelled to ensure the continuous energy supply for 770 households. The proposed optimal HRES consists of a PV module, biomass generator, converter and battery with the static specification and further improved by optimization. The optimal HRES out of the best five configurations was elected with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) based on net present cost (NPC), cost of energy generation (COE), operating cost (ƠƇ), initial capital cost (ƗƇƇ), energy generation (ĖƓ), and a renewable fraction (Ȓϯ). The selected optimal HRES has been analyzed for economic, renewable energy and environmental aspects. The sensitivity study had performed while considering the discount and inflation rate. A simulation was performed for a 10-kW biomass generator, 1.1 kW solar array, five lithium-ion batteries, and a 3.96 kW converter. Results revealed that the PV's payback period (PBP) was 1.58 years, less than the useful life of optimal HRES. The cost of constructing an HRES for 25 years was equivalent to $21087, including initial cost, operating, replacement, and project costs. Thus, 35.6% of the necessary electricity is generated with PV and 64.4% biomass under optimal conditions for a 100% renewable energy integration. The CO 2 /year emission performance of optimal HRES is much better than Grid-only and PV-diesel generators. This technique may be used in rural regions in every other developing nation. [Display omitted] • Study of hybrid PV/Biomass/Battery energy for India rural area. • Design and optimization for off-grid electricity generation system using HOMER. • Technically and financially viable optimal configuration costs 0.0362 $/kWh. • System performance economically and environmentally analyzed by sensitivity analysis. • HRES reduced GHG compared to conventional grid and PV-biogas generator only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the design optimisation and techno-economic analysis of an off-grid Integrated Renewable Energy System (IRES) designed to meet the electrical demand of a rural village location in West Bengal – India with an overall electrical requirement equivalent to 22 MWh year −1 . The investigation involved the modelling of seven scenarios, each containing a different combination of electricity generation (anaerobic digestion with biogas combined heat and power (CHP) and photovoltaics) and storage elements (Vanadium redox batteries, water electrolyser and hydrogen storage with fuel cell). Micro-grid modelling software HOMER, was combined with additional modelling of anaerobic digestion, to scale each component in each scenario considering the systems' ability to give a good quality electricity supply to a rural community. The integrated system which contained all of the possible elements – except hydrogen production and storage presented the lowest capital ($US 71 k) and energy cost ($US 0.289 kWh −1 ) compared to the scenarios with a single energy source. The biogas CHP was able to meet the electrical load peaks and variations and produced 61% of the total electricity in the optimised system, while the photovoltaics met the daytime load and allowed the charging of the battery which was subsequently used to meet base load at night. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the returns to household income due to improved access to electricity in rural India. We examine the effect of connecting a household to the grid and of the quality of electricity, defined as hours of daily supply. The analysis is based on two rounds of a representative panel of more than 10,000 households. We use the district-level density of transmission cables as instrument for the electrification status of the household. We find that a grid connection increases non-agricultural incomes of rural households by about 9% during the study period (1994–2005). However, a grid connection and a higher quality of electricity (in terms of fewer outages and more hours per day) increases non-agricultural incomes by about 28.6% in the same period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A record for an abysmally high number of lightning discharges in a single day occurred on 16 April 2019, where almost 58,066 flashes (cloud to ground + inter cloud) with a maximum of 179 flashes/min were observed over India. Researchers have hypothesized that an intense Western Disturbance (WD) caused these high numbers of lightning flashes, which prevailed in the northwestern part of India and spread over much of the country. Instead, in this paper, it is suggested and shown through multiple datasets that a dust intrusion into the storm altered cloud characteristics at the microphysical level, most likely favouring charge separation in cloud particles. The back trajectory calculation indicated that there was a south-westerly transport of dust/ aerosol which converged within the secondary flow associated with the WD and lofted into the higher levels. It is hypothesized that the entrainment of dust acting as cloud condensation nuclei as well as ice nuclei induced a favourable condition for charge separation. Also a dust-boosting feedback loop was set up due to the prevailing intense WD which further accelerated the electrification process and led to the catastrophic lightning. • Intense lightning activity accelerated due to dust entrainment into WD. • Aerosol indirect effect as observed from multiple satellite observations. • Evidence indicate dust boosting feedback loop led to catastrophic lightning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the state of electric infrastructure of rural India, vernacular use of the word 'current' for movement of electricity from networks of pylons and wires in everyday life and electrification of rural India, with example of failure of power grids in North India.

This paper applies an econometric analysis to estimate the average and distribu-tion benefits of rural electrification using rich household survey data from India. The results support that rural electrification helps reduce time allocated to fuel wood collection by household members and increases time allocated to studying by boys and girls. Rural electrification also increases labor supply of men and women, schooling of boys and girls, household per capita income and expendi-ture. Electrification also helps reduce poverty. But the larger share of benefits accrues to wealthier rural households, with poorer ones having a more limited use of electricity. The analysis also shows that restricted supply of electricity, due to frequent power outages, negatively affects both household electricity connec-tion and its consumption, thereby reducing the expected benefits of rural electri-fication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]