UPSC Mains 2013 GS Paper 3 Q11: model answer

On a windy afternoon in Tamil Nadu, wind farms used to be shut down because the grid had no room for their power. The Green Energy Corridor (GEC) was planned to stop that waste.

Why it was needed

• Renewable energy is concentrated in a few states, far from the big markets.
• Wind and solar are variable; the grid must absorb swings.
• Without lines, power is curtailed and investors lose money.

What it includes

• Intra-state transmission in renewable-rich states.
• Inter-state lines by POWERGRID to move power across regions.
• Renewable Energy Management Centres to forecast and schedule supply.
• Support from Germany's KfW and central grants.
• Phase II (2022) for seven more states, and a special line for Ladakh's solar.

How it reduces dependence on conventional energy

• More renewable power reaches users, so less coal is burnt.
• Balancing across regions smooths variability.
• Green Energy Open Access rules (2022) let industries buy this power directly.
• It underpins the target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.
• Lower risk attracts more solar and wind investment.

Challenges

• Land and right of way for towers.
• Storage remains limited.
• Discom finances and payment delays.
• Grid stability: with more inverter-based power, frequency control and spinning reserves get harder.
• Lines take longer to build than solar parks, which take about two years.

The corridor turns sunshine and wind in one state into electricity for factories in another.