CEA Chairman Warns of Risks in Relying Only on Renewables After Global Blackouts

Lessons from Grid Failures

The Chairman of India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) warns that relying solely on renewables could compromise energy security, echoing recent global blackouts that have exposed grid vulnerabilities. While renewables are crucial to reducing emissions and meeting climate targets, their inherent intermittency—particularly in wind and solar—means robust baseload and grid flexibility are still required for stability.

Blackout Case Studies: Global Perspectives

In recent years, nations such as the UK, parts of the US, and Australia have suffered major blackouts linked to high renewable-penetration grids during periods of low wind, high heat, or storms. These events triggered cascading failures, long restoration times, and significant economic losses. The CEA chairman notes that while India’s shift toward 500 GW of non-fossil installed power by 2030 is bold, overcommitting to renewables without adequate planning, storage, and backup is risky.

Energy Security and Grid Modernisation

Energy experts agree that a balanced mix—combining renewables with pumped hydro, batteries, flexible gas and nuclear, and responsive demand—is the safest path to deep decarbonisation. Modern grid infrastructure, investment in energy storage, and redundancy planning are vital for averting instability.

Indian Policy and Strategic Flexibility

India’s transition must heed lessons overseas, prioritising mid-merit and peaking support alongside large-scale solar and wind. Strategic reserves, regional power exchanges, and technological innovation (such as “grid-forming” inverters, advanced forecasting, and market-linked demand response) are under discussion at the highest policy levels.

Conclusion

Renewables must scale up, but a harmonious blend with firm, dispatchable sources and modern, smart grids is needed to ensure India’s decarbonisation is reliable and resilient—not just ambitious.