Powering the Energy Transition with a Smarter and Stronger Grid
The transition to a cleaner, more efficient, and decarbonised future depends not only on scaling renewable energy but also on the readiness and resilience of the power grid. With mounting commitments to net-zero targets, energy systems must now integrate a rapidly evolving mix of generation sources.
August 16, 2025. By News Bureau
The transition to a cleaner, more efficient, and decarbonised future depends not only on scaling renewable energy but also on the readiness and resilience of the power grid. With mounting commitments to net-zero targets, energy systems must now integrate a rapidly evolving mix of generation sources, storage solutions, and distributed assets—while continuing to deliver reliable and affordable electricity.
The power grid is no longer just a conduit for transmission; it has become the backbone of the energy transition. From integrating large-scale renewables to supporting electric vehicles and balancing fluctuating demand, the grid must evolve to be smarter, more flexible, and more resilient.
To understand the demands being placed on the grid, it's important to examine the key technologies and subsystems shaping the modern energy ecosystem.
The Changing Energy Ecosystem
The modern power grid faces growing complexity as new subsystems and technologies reshape the energy landscape. Several key components are redefining grid dynamics:
Large-scale Renewable Energy (RE) Generation: Solar and wind farms are central to decarbonisation efforts. However, their intermittent nature and remote locations demand significant upgrades to transmission infrastructure, including High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems, to efficiently move power over long distances.
Energy Storage Systems (ESS): Technologies such as large-scale batteries, pumped hydro, and hydrogen-based storage help balance grid load by storing excess energy and supplying it during peak demand.
Electric Transportation: Mass adoption of electric vehicles and public transport solutions is accelerating. These high-load systems require strategic grid integration and charging infrastructure capable of managing the added stress on the distribution network.
Power-to-X and Green Hydrogen: Emerging solutions that convert surplus renewable electricity into fuels like hydrogen are vital for decarbonising hard-to-electrify sectors. These systems increase the demand for robust and responsive grid capacity.
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Microgrids: At the grid edge, localised generation through solar panels, EVs, and microgrids is becoming more common. These systems offer resilience and flexibility but also introduce challenges related to grid stability and coordination.
While these new entrants bring valuable capabilities, they also present challenges related to integration, reliability, and real-time orchestration—making grid modernisation a top priority.
Key Challenges in Grid Modernisation
1. Integrating Renewable Energy
One of the most pressing challenges is integrating renewable sources like solar and wind into the grid. These sources are often intermittent and located far from demand centers. HVDC transmission systems are opted to connect offshore wind and solar farms to grid and also to interconnect between different grids to enable bulk energy transfer. The increasing demand for grid connections is rising sharply globally. India now has five regional grids that are interconnected, forming a national grid with an inter-regional transmission capacity of over 150 GW. Despite progress, further expansion is needed to accommodate the growing renewable energy capacity. The bottleneck in grid connectivity is a critical obstacle that must be addressed through strategic planning and investment in new infrastructure.
2. Upgrading and Expanding Grid Infrastructure
The grid must support bidirectional power flow, real-time monitoring, and enhanced automation. This requires extensive upgrades to both transmission and distribution (T&D) systems. Substation modernisation, deployment of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), Dynamic Line Rating, and power-flow control devices are essential to maximising capacity and ensuring reliability.
The International Energy Agency estimates that annual global grid investments need to more than double to over $600 billion by 2030, with a strong emphasis on digitalisation and modernisation of distribution grids.
3. Managing Grid Edge Complexity
With the rise of DERs, the grid must manage millions of decentralised sources in real time. EVs, residential solar, and battery storage systems are no longer passive loads—they are active participants in the energy ecosystem. Managing voltage fluctuations, ensuring cybersecurity, and maintaining operational efficiency at this scale requires sophisticated control platforms and real-time data analytics.
Integrated systems such as Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), and Wide Area Management Systems (WAMS) are pivotal in orchestrating diverse assets, enabling grid balancing, and supporting rapid fault detection and resolution.
Engineering the Grid of the Future
The energy transition is fundamentally a grid transformation challenge. It involves not just building new infrastructure but rethinking how the grid is designed, operated, and maintained. From HVDC systems and FACTS technology to DER management and digital substations, a coordinated and forward-looking approach to grid engineering is essential.
Advanced engineering services play a critical role in making this transition successful. These include:
- HVDC and FACTS project execution to support long-distance power transmission and grid stability.
- Development and deployment of digital platforms for real-time grid monitoring and orchestration.
- Substation engineering and modernisation to enable automation, enhance resilience, and integrate renewable sources.
- Grid edge solutions that support virtual power plants (VPPs), EV fleet management, and microgrid platforms.
The energy transition is, at its core, a transformation of the grid. Meeting the growing demands of a decarbonised energy ecosystem will require more than financial investment; it will demand bold engineering innovation, digital intelligence, and long-term planning. From modern transmission infrastructure and digital substations to grid-edge technologies and orchestration platforms, the path forward is clear: we must build a grid that is not only stronger and more resilient, but also smarter and more responsive. The future of clean energy will depend on it.
- Manoj Vivek, Director & CoE Leader, Energy & Industrial, Quest Global
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