Energy Storage

The oil and gas major, with a current installed base of 448 EV charging stations and 30 battery swapping stations, plans to expand the charging station network in a phased manner over the next three years. The first phase will focus on nine cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat, and Pune.

Israel-based Augwind has built its first 250 kW/1 MWh compressed air storage system for the collective community of Yahel, in the southern, desert part of the country. The commercial scale facility will be connected to a PV system and will be used for behind-the-meter services.

Developed by French start-up EODev, the 100 kVa system is equipped with fuel cells manufactured by Toyota. The generator has a power of 110 kVA and its lifetime is guaranteed for 15,000 hours.

The DC-coupled battery has 94.5% round-trip efficiency and the inverter offers up to 11.4 kW power and 10.3 kW backup power.

The Indian multinational EPC contractor will increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix across its campuses and project sites as part of efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA), which aims to mobilize more than $1 trillion of solar power investment by 2030 in its member countries, expanded its scope of work by launching programs on solar panel and battery waste management and solar-powered hydrogen production in its fourth assembly held recently.

Parity in the total cost of ownership already exists for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers (with subsidy) vis-à-vis their internal combustion engine counterparts. Policy impetus, coupled with the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for batteries and auto components (exclusively covering EVs), is likely to further reduce costs and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The transition will also open up the market for new-age companies and innovators across the value chain.

India has seen substantial activity in the domestic battery storage and green hydrogen markets, from the entry of Reliance and Acme Solar in green hydrogen to gigawatt-scale battery storage tenders by NTPC and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). There are more private ventures in the offing, indicating the government’s policy push is in the right direction.  

The EnerPack from Indian manufacturer Jakson consists of a hybrid inverter, lithium ferro phosphate batteries, and an intelligent energy management system that can smartly combine grid power, solar power, wind power, and even diesel generator power supply to maximize the use of renewable energy.

The draft guidelines and the draft tender document inviting bids for setting up standalone battery energy storage systems in India have been uploaded on the SECI site. The final tender document will be issued based on the comments and discussions with the prospective bidders on the draft guidelines and draft tender documents.