India's Green Energy Challenge: Weather Woes and Tight Rules

Double Whammy: Unreliable Weather and Stricter Regulations

India's renewable energy sector is grappling with two major issues:

• Unreliable weather forecasts
• Stricter regulations

New Regulations Proposed

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has proposed tighter rules for wind and solar power producers. These rules aim to:

• Reduce the gap between promised and actual power supply
• Take effect from April 2026

Concerns Raised by Clean Energy Developers

During a public hearing, developers highlighted:

• Lack of precise weather forecasting models in India
• Unpredictable weather patterns due to the tropical monsoon climate
• Errors in forecasting, unlike in the U.S. and Europe

Government's Focus on Disaster Management

• Radars are focused on disaster management, not energy forecasting
• India Meteorological Department updates data every six hours
• Short-term forecasting is difficult

Ministry's Response

The renewable energy ministry has urged the power regulator to:

• Delay the stricter rules
• Avoid hefty penalties that could deter investments
• Maintain current rules, which are already stringent

The Challenge Ahead

The sector must balance:

• Reliable power supply
• Unpredictable weather

Improved weather forecasting technology could help bridge this gap. Without it, the sector may struggle to meet new regulatory requirements.