Advancing Power Sector Reforms in Maharashtra

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CONTINUED SUPPORT TO MAHARASHTRA STATE LOAD DESPATCH CENTRE

CRP, WISE, has been associated with the Maharashtra State Load Despatch Centre (MSLDC) from 2019–20, when the team assisted in preparing the multi-year tariff (MYT) petition to determine fees and charges for 2020–21 to 2024–25, along with true-up for past years. In the current year, CRP, WISE, prepared the mid-term petition for seeking approval for truing up for 2019–20 to 2021–22, provisional truing-up for 2022–23, and revised ARR forecast and determination of fees and charges for 2023–24 to 2024–25, as per Section 5.1(b) of the MERC (MYT) Regulations, 2019.

Initially, a detailed presentation was made by CRP, WISE, to MSLDC to understand the scope of the present petition and data requirements from various departments of MSLDC. Data formats were shared with MSLDC and based on initial data, the required analysis was carried out. In addition, data deficiency or clarifications required were discussed. Under true-up, the capital cost incurred by MLSDC was identified from annual audit report and the detailed writeup was prepared along with work completion certificate. Similarly, detailed scheme-wise capital investment plan for the future was prepared. The compliance to directives given by MERC was prepared in detail, in consultation with MSLDC.

Consequently, the draft petition was prepared and the same was finalised based on inputs received from MSLDC. The Commission (MERC) subsequently issued data gap letter on the petition filed. The reply to the same was prepared by CRP, WISE, and technical validation session and public hearings were attended as well. Accordingly, the final order was issued by MERC.

WISE-USAID Study for Performance Evaluation and O&M for Solar PV

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Year Of Completion: 2018

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported WISE to execute a two-year project to prepare a comprehensive best practices standard for performance evaluation and O&M in the solar PV segment.

The outcome of the project was the ‘Best Practices Handbook on Performance Evaluation, Operation and Maintenance of Solar PV Plants’ brought out by WISE, which bridges the knowledge deficit gap on O&M for both, rooftop as well as ground-mounted solar PV plants. The Handbook has been very well received, and the International Solar Alliance has uploaded it on its website for ease of access to member countries.

WISE carried out a detailed survey, held extensive stakeholder consultations and expert interactions, and undertook on-site visits to multiple solar power plants all across India to map the prevalent performance evaluation parameters and O&M practices. The visits helped the team to identify gaps in current institutional benchmarks and market practices with respect to best-in-class standards. As part of the project, WISE also conducted three stakeholder training programmes to sensitize key stakeholders to best practices in solar O&M and performance evaluation.

See Report link

Enabling A Circular Economy for E-Waste in Pune City

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The US Consulate General, Mumbai, organised a joint US-India conference in 2017, announcing a grant competition for waste management innovation in India. The focus of the competition was to assess the current status of waste management in India—under any one of the different waste management topics presented—and explore innovative solutions that could be tested and adopted in the country, sharing global best practices and experiences in the process. WISE was awarded the seed grant for the project, which was evaluated and monitored on behalf of the US Consulate General, Mumbai, by The Ohio State University.

WISE worked on developing a participatory, e-waste management implementation strategy for Pune city with the objective of capturing 60% of the e-waste generated in the next two years. To this end, WISE undertook extensive stakeholder consultations with players at every level of the waste ecosystem, right from rag pickers to government functionaries, and assessed key technical and operational challenges, as well as institutional and administrative gaps. The findings and insights from the exercise were then contextualized with global best circular economy models in the waste management space taking into consideration the health and environmental impacts of possible circular economy strategies.

WISE proposed an innovative circular economy-oriented business model for Pune city for e-waste management. It detailed a comprehensive action plan (short-term and long-term) to implement the recommended model, create base-level awareness, build the capacity of concerned stakeholders and strengthen institutional mechanisms for e-waste management in Pune city in the coming years.

The Action Plan was disseminated through a variety of channels including WISE and OSU websites, stakeholder websites, email blasts, and social media. Additionally, focus group meetings were held to ensure the feasibility of plan implementation. The final report of the WISE project has met with wide acceptability among city officials and key stakeholders across the value chain. In particular, the WISE team briefed the Joint Municipal Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, PMC, Dnyaneshwar Molak, and other key stakeholders, and received an enthusiastic response. The recommended Strategic Action Plan is expected to pave the way for more informed decisions by policy-makers and e-waste chain participants, leading to development of a circular economy in Pune.

See Report Link

Energy Efficiency Policy Framework and support to the State Designated Agency in Kerala

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The project supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation entailed conducting a comprehensive review of the implementation of the energy efficiency programme in India, along with policies, administration procedures, and institutional framework. The study also required WISE to provide specific implementation support to a state designated agency for supporting energy efficiency programs at the state level.

WISE evaluated impacts of major sectoral initiatives in the energy efficiency space including PAT, ECBC, Standards and labelling standards, and demand side management schemes for agriculture and municipal sectors. The study included extensive primary and secondary research, administering stakeholder surveys and interviews. The study also reviewed and evaluated the funding mechanism for the existing energy efficiency programmes, institutional framework in India, and the potential of energy efficiency in mitigating climate change. It also looked at the structure and role of State Designated Agencies (SDAs) as per the Energy Conservation Act, and taking a hands-on approach, worked with state designated agency in Kerala, the Energy Management Centre (EMC), Thiruvananthapuram to provide guidelines and specific action points for implementation and roll out of new energy efficiency programs. WISE carried out two workshops under the program and provided guidance to the stakeholders on energy efficiency improvements for other industries.

The study provided many insightful recommendations in the area of scheme design, scheme implementation (PAT/ECBC/Standards and Labelling), institutional strengthening and energy efficiency financing. The work with the state designated agency assessed program dissemination and success and suggested some innovative government support schemes and user engagement strategies that went beyond normal electricity consumer categories to also include transport energy use. The team also provided guidance on institutional strengthening and administrative process changes to improve program delivery and information dissemination. To enable wider dissemination of the study outputs, the reports and other deliverables were converted to local language Malyalam.

See Report link Part (A)

See Report link Part (B)

Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND)

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The EU Delegation to India in close cooperation with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, awarded a €4 million grant to a GWEC-led consortium under the Indo-European Cooperation on Renewable Energy programme. The FOWIND project sought to facilitate India’s transition towards low carbon development by supporting the implementation of national policies and programmes for offshore wind, with a special focus on the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

As part of the consortium, WISE was entrusted with assisting and coordinating offshore wind development with the state government of Gujarat and it played an instrumental role in bringing the Government of Gujarat as co-grantor for the project. WISE also developed a project management office on its premises in Pune for this purpose and supported the consortium lead, GWEC, and other technical partners on key project deliverables, including preparation of pre-feasibility and final feasibility reports for 500 MW offshore wind capacity and associated offshore policy briefs and other technical papers on manufacturing, supply chain, grid integration, etc. On the implementation side, WISE took the lead in implementing project activities related to LIDAR selection, offshore structure selection, government coordination for offshore permits, and site visits and installation of LIDAR for measuring offshore wind resources in the Gulf of Cambay, Gujarat. The LIDAR was installed in 2017 and the wind resource readings are expected to provide valuable guidance to the on-site installation of the first offshore wind power project in India.

The project helped create more visibility and acceptance for offshore wind among policymakers and regulators. The project report deliverables in the areas of technology integration, supply chain, policy and grid infrastructure spurred new interest and investments in the field of offshore wind in India.