Consider the following : 1. Battery storage 2. Biomass generators 3. Fuel cells 4. Rooftop solar photovoltaic units How many of the above are considered "Distributed Energy Resources" ?
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two
- (c) Only three
- (d) All four ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are small-scale generation or storage units located at or near the point of consumption and connected to the distribution grid, as opposed to large centralised power stations.
• Rooftop solar photovoltaic units are the most common DER (item 4); biomass generators at farms or factories are another (item 2).
• Fuel cells installed at buildings generate power locally (item 3), and battery storage at homes or substations stores and dispatches energy (item 1).
• Together with demand response and electric-vehicle chargers, these make up the DER ecosystem that smart grids manage.
• All four qualify, option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Only one
- All four, not one, are DERs.
- (b) Only two
- Fuel cells and biomass generators are also DERs.
- (c) Only three
- Battery storage is also a DER, making four.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2024, held on 16 June 2024. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.