Energy Storage

The historic French brand says it will focus on rail, telecom and infrastructure, but environmentalists hoping the move finally heralds a breakthrough for electric vehicles in one of the world’s biggest transport markets appear set to be disappointed.

Following hot on the heels of Exide Industries, lead acid battery maker, Indian-based Amara Raja Batteries Limited has said it will set up a 100 MWh lithium ion assembly plant in Andhra Pradesh. The company aims to establish a foothold in the energy storage market for electric vehicles.

With a rapid reduction in costs, solar plus storage can be an effective alternative for customers buying peak power from the grid. At the same time, utilities can avoid investments in peak capacity or eliminate load shedding by utilizing these resources.

Hyderabad based Cygni Energy plans to utilize the capital to triple its solar DC solutions production capacity from 4,000 units to 12,000 by H1 2019, develop new technology-enabled products and streamline the product lifecycle, as well as expand nationally and internationally.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has announced a tender for a 160 MW wind, solar and storage plant to be located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

In the latest amendment to India’s National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy, the word “battery” has been removed from a number of clauses, while the scope of storage has been broadened to include all technologies, like pumped hydro, compressed air and flywheel.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has approved a grant supporting the technical design and project planning work for IL&FS Energy Development Company Limited’s (IEDCL) 41 MW hybrid wind, solar and energy storage power plant in Andhra Pradesh.

India’s energy storage industry feels the government’s move to reduce GST on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries from 28% to 18% will benefit electric vehicles and the renewables sector. The government has also cut GST on the raw materials for battery manufacturing, to jump-start domestic industry.

Greenko Energies will set up India’s largest Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) in Andhra Pradesh at an investment of INR 150 billion (US$2.2 billion). Recently approved by the Andhra Pradesh government, the project will comprise 1,000 MW of solar energy, 550 MW of wind energy and 1,200 MW of standalone pumped storage capacities. It is expected to provide employment to 15,000 people during construction and 3,000 people after construction.

While Africa has emerged as a dynamic, fast-moving hub, Asia leads in capacity deployment with its total capacity more than tripling to nearly 4.3 GW in 2017 from 1.3 GW in 2008, finds IRENA. Particularly, in India, a strong policy has pushed deployment of off-grid solar for agriculture and public end-uses.