India considers running gas plants during peak evening hours to support renewable energy growth
Officials are exploring gas-fired power generation for peak evening hours to balance the grid. This move supports the rapid expansion of renewable energy.
The government of India 
IN is currently examining whether under-used gas-fired power plants can be operated during evening peak hours to provide flexible generation support. This proposal is being considered as the country sees its renewable energy sector expand rapidly, with renewables recently surpassing 50% of the total installed capacity. The primary objective of the discussion is to ensure grid stability and preserve approximately 20 GW of gas-based generation capacity.
IN is currently examining whether under-used gas-fired power plants can be operated during evening peak hours to provide flexible generation support. This proposal is being considered as the country sees its renewable energy sector expand rapidly, with renewables recently surpassing 50% of the total installed capacity. The primary objective of the discussion is to ensure grid stability and preserve approximately 20 GW of gas-based generation capacity.The move comes after recent policy changes led to a reduction in grid-connected gas capacity, which fell from 25 GW to about 20 GW. To address the technical and commercial challenges of integrating more intermittent power, a study on the feasibility of evening operations for gas plants has been ongoing for three years. The government is evaluating how these plants can be dispatched to fill the gap when solar and wind output fluctuates.
