Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are key to transitioning to clean energy. Simply put, when energy is generated in excess from wind or solar power it needs to be stored. It can then be fed into the grid when the generation is low or when demand peaks. Solar or wind energy generation is not consistent and may be high on a sunny or a windy day and low when clouds gather or when the wind drops.

A 40 MWh BESS project in Delhi was awarded earlier this year to IndiaGrid2, a subsidiary of India Grid Trust, a power infrastructure investment trust. The project will be onstream in a year’s time but more such initiatives will be coming across the country after India joined the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) consortium, an initiative of the Global Leadership Council (GLC) of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) at COP28.

Positive step

This is seen as a positive step. Saurabh Kumar, Vice President-India, GEAPP said, “We are among the first-mover countries as a part of the collaborative effort to secure 5 gigawatts (GW) of BESS commitments by the end of 2024 through this consortium. It is a multi-stakeholder partnership of leading development finance institutions that will join forces to support the deployment of first-wave BESS projects and eventually scale-up across priority geographies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.”

The entry of battery storage systems will increase the reliability of grids by storing excess energy during periods of high renewable output and releasing it during times of low generation. They will also provide grid stability and efficiency by balancing the supply-demand situation by storing excess energy during peak production hours and releasing it during peak demand.

According to the latest Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report on “Optimal Generation Mix 2029-2030,” India would require 60.63 GW of energy storage capacity by 2030. The Indian government has announced a few initiatives, such as the release of ‘The National Framework for Promoting Energy Storage’ and ‘Viability Gap Funding’ of ₹3,769 crore for 4GW of BESS projects. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has launched a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage of 50 GWh capacity which includes more than 10 GWh grid-scale battery storage.

The GEAPP recently announced the expansion of its BESS project in India, with a goal to reach 1 GW for Discoms by 2026.

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