- Indian government has introduced an amendment to its National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy to expand the use of storage technologies
- It has removed the word battery to encompass other forms of storage technologies
- These technologies may now include pumped hydro, compressed air, flywheel among others
- It is also working to bring out a National Energy Storage Mission to enable a regulatory framework for the growth of India’s storage industry that will support the thrust for renewables in the country
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in India has broadened the use of storage technology in its National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy. India had launched its National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy in May 2018 (see India Launches Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy).
The said policy mentioned storage for wind and solar power generation specifying it as battery storage. Finding this restrictive, it has now removed the word ‘battery’ from the policy. With the changes introduced through an amendment, the storage technologies that will be accepted under the policy cover pumped hydro, compressed air, flywheel, and the like along with battery storage.
National Energy Storage Mission
India is currently working on a policy to set up a National Energy Storage Mission (NESM). With this, it hopes to create an enabling policy and regulatory framework to encourage manufacturing, deployment, innovation and further cost reduction in the country.
The government considers energy storage as one of the most crucial and critical components of the country’s energy infrastructure strategy that will also support the deployment of renewables.
A joint report by Indian government think tank NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute has proposed a three stage solution approach to develop a storage market. These three stages are:
- creating an environment for battery manufacturing growth,
- scaling supply chain strategies, and
- scaling of battery cell manufacturing.
The India’s Energy Storage Mission report is available on the website of Niti Aayog.
