Mr. Shashwata Swarupa will present his APS as per the details below:

Date: Monday, 29th September 2025 

Time: 1545 - 1700 hrs. 

Venue: LT-204

Title: Modelling of Residential Electricity Demand in the Context of Increased Renewable Energy Penetration

Supervisor: Prof. Priya Jadhav 

RPC Members: Prof. Anand B. Rao, Prof. Milind Sohoni

Abstract:

India’s residential electricity demand is rising rapidly due to income growth, lifestyle shifts, and widespread appliance adoption, creating sharp peak loads that stress the power system. The increasing deployment of renewable energy sources, adds to these challenges, since their variable and intermittent generation rarely coincides with demand patterns, increasing the economic costs to achieve the supply-demand balance within the grid. A clear understanding of the drivers of residential demand, spanning appliance ownership, usage timing, socioeconomic diversity, and climatic conditions, is therefore essential for accurate forecasting, demand response, tariff design, and effective renewable integration. Most existing research on electricity demand has focused on forecasting and load estimation, while paying limited attention to the actual drivers of residential peak demand. The combined effects of appliance ownership, behaviour changes, and, income, on when and how much peak loads occur, especially in the Indian context, largely remain unexplored This study reviews global and Indian literature on demand modelling, identifying gaps in capturing peak demand drivers, integrating socio-economic data, and addressing rural–urban variability. It proposes a mixed-methods approach that combines smart meter and feeder-level data with household surveys to uncover daily, seasonal, and regional patterns of residential demand. The findings will support the design of equitable tariffs, effective DR initiatives, strengthen renewable integration and guide strategic power system planning for India's diverse and evolving energy needs. Regional or local demand models may aid distributed renewable energy integration. Overall, this research aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps, inform inclusive policy-making, and drive energy strategies that empower rural communities with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity, which thereby, helps the utilities and regulators manage short-term challenges while also planning for long-term clean energy goals.