Tata Power DDL deploys its first 15 KWp microgrids in the Indian state of Bihar

Following a comprehensive study of possible locations, which took into consideration the total number of households and population, infrastructure network, income per capita and willingness to pay for electricity, Tata Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL), a joint venture between Tata Power and the Government of NCT of Delhi, has selected Tayablur village and Behlolpur village for its 15 KWp microgrid projects.

First to be completed was the Tayablur project, which was inaugurated in January 2017. Meanwhile, the microgrid in Behlolpur, which is situated on an island in the river Ganges, is nearing the final stage of installation.

“The Behlolpur project could be inaugurated in two to three months,” a TPDDL source told pv magazine.

In line with the Indian government’s electrification program aiming to provide “electricity to all”, the projects are realized in partnership with the Massachuusetts Institute of Technology Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, U.S. engineering giant General Electric and Tata Trusts, public charitable institutions.

“This project aims to develop a novel soar microgrid model with a decision support tool suitable to our Indian environment and support universal electrification,” TPDDL CEO Praveer Sinha said. “We hope through implementation of this project we will have a model for installing and developing microgrid in the country which will be affordable, sustainable with universal applicability, helping us to reach remote rural areas”.

While engaged in rural microgrid projects through the JV, the Mumbai-based power producer Tata Power has earned the reputation of the biggest operator of utility-scale PV in the country, with nearly 10% of the market, according to a Mercom Capital report earlier this year, and has become the first Indian company to surpass 1 GW of global PV module shipments, shipping over 60% of the figure over the last five years.