CEA Issues Mandatory Guidelines for Automated Weather Stations in Renewable Energy Sites.
National
On July 8, 2025, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power (MoP), issued new technical guidelines requiring the installation of Automated Weather Stations (AWS) at solar and wind power project sites. This step is aimed at improving the accuracy of weather data collection to enhance forecasting, grid reliability, and security in the renewable energy sector.
- The guidelines mandate that all renewable energy projects with a capacity of 50 Megawatts (MW) or more must install at least one AWS on-site. This condition applies to both solar and wind energy installations to ensure continuous weather data monitoring essential for efficient energy generation.
- The AWS units must record weather parameters like wind speed, temperature, humidity, and solar radiation at 15-minute intervals. These data must be stored securely and transmitted to national and regional energy centers for real-time forecasting and grid management.
- According to the CEA, AWS data must be integrated with the infrastructure of National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC), Regional Load Dispatch Centres (RLDC), State Load Dispatch Centres (SLDC), and Renewable Energy Management Centres (REMCs) to facilitate synchronized grid operations.
Main Point :- (i) All AWS systems must be equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers to ensure time-synchronized data logging. This enables precise tracking and timestamping of data points for better weather forecasting models and grid analytics.
(ii) To ensure continuous performance during poor weather conditions, the AWS must be backed by solar-powered battery systems capable of operating for at least 20 days in cloudy or foggy conditions without needing external power supply. This resilience will help in maintaining uninterrupted monitoring even in adverse weather.
(iii) The initiative is part of India’s broader push towards grid modernization and energy transition under its renewable energy goals. It supports national efforts to increase clean energy integration while maintaining system stability and cybersecurity resilience at energy sites.
About Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
Chairperson : Ghanshyam Prasad
Headquarters: New Delhi
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