Strengthening Cooperation with India

The recent visit of German Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel from 31 October to 1 November to India formed the occasion for the 8th meeting of the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF). Eight implementation agreements and MoUs worth more than 200 million Euros have been signed by the Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy with their German counterparts. The Forum – held on 1 November – was co-chaired by Sanjiv Nandan Sahai, Secretary (Ministry of Power) from the Indian side and Christian Hirte, Secretary of State, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany. Both co-chairs were updated on the ongoing cooperation in flexibilization of thermal power plants, renewable energies, demand-side energy efficiency and green energy corridors.

Flexibilization of thermal power plants is a key theme

VGB has been active partner in the activities of flexibilizing Indian coal fired power plants for the last years. Together with partners such as Siemens and Steag Energy Services, the VGB investigated the flexibility potential of two NTPC plants – at the 210 and 500 MW units of the Dadri and Simhadri power plant. The studies’ results could be successfully verified in test runs executed at unit 6 of the Dadri power plant achieving stable minimum load operation at 40 per cent. These learnings provided an important input to Indian decision makers for adapting the nationwide regulatory framework for part load operation.

“We are eager to support the forum’s activities further on”, said Dr Oliver Then, VGB’s Executive Managing Director, during the IGEF panel discussion addressing the topic of “Market and System Integration of Renewable Energies”. He pointed out the importance of flexible dispatchable power generation for a successful energy system transformation.

Dr Then conveyed the same message at the National Seminar of the Excellence Enhancement Centre (EEC) – VGB’s Indian partner organization – which took place at the same day. At this event, Marinus Tabak, manager of RWE’s Eemshaven power plant and Rainer Aulfinger from Siemens also shared their experiences in flexible and environmentally sound operation of power plants.

Moreover, Dr Then delivered a keynote speech at the “National Conference on Advanced Ultra Super Critical Technology”. This conference took place on 30 and 31 October 2019 in Hyderabad. Under the auspices of the Government of India a consortium of NTPC, BHEL and IGCAR (Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research) is persueing a R&D program aiming at the installation of an 800 MW unit with steam parameters of more than 300 bar and 710°C/720°C. From March to September 2019, the VGB conducted a peer review on the water chemistry concept of the demonstration plant.