Government May Consider Mandating 10?ttery Storage for New Renewable Energy Projects

18 Dec 2024

Prashant Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, stated on Monday that the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy may soon require battery storage capacity for upcoming solar and wind power plants.

Speaking at the 21st edition of the Global MSME Business Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the official mentioned that a preliminary requirement of 10% of the plant's total renewable energy capacity could be allocated for storage, with the possibility of gradually increasing this share over time.

He mentioned that “the issue of intermittency is something we're currently addressing. The adaptation of renewable energy hasn't reached its full potential yet, as people often point out that solar energy is available for only 7-8 hours a day and wind energy is seasonal. However, through experimentation, it has been demonstrated that with the use of battery storage, renewable energy can provide a continuous, round-the-clock power supply.”

He also noted that “in the recent tenders, the rates we are receiving for solar, wind, and battery combinations are now more competitive than those for coal non-pithead plants. The cost has reached that point. With battery prices continuing to decrease, it makes much more sense to move forward with integrated projects rather than pursuing basic solar or wind-only projects from this point forward.”