Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited (GIPCL) has floated a tender for the development of a 20 MW/120 MWh Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB)-based Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Vadodara, Gujarat, marking a major step toward long-duration energy storage deployment and grid flexibility in India.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion battery projects that generally provide shorter storage durations, the proposed GIPCL project is designed as a six-hour long-duration energy storage system using Vanadium Redox Flow Battery technology. The project is being developed inside GIPCL’s existing 165 MW gas-based power plant complex in Vadodara.
The company has invited bids for complete design, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning and 10-year operation and maintenance of the BESS project under a single EPC contract.
According to the tender document, the project will utilize GIPCL’s existing power infrastructure, including:
- 132 kV substation
- transmission line
- switchyard
- step-up transformer
- associated electrical systems.
This is expected to reduce infrastructure costs while improving faster grid integration of the battery storage system.
One of the biggest highlights of the project is that it has been recognized by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) as a pilot long-duration energy storage initiative for utility-scale deployment in Gujarat.
The project is being positioned as an important demonstration initiative to support:
- renewable energy integration
- peak load management
- grid balancing
- grid flexibility
- energy storage technology demonstration.
India’s renewable energy sector is expanding rapidly, especially solar and wind capacity. However, renewable power generation fluctuates throughout the day depending on sunlight and wind conditions. Long-duration battery storage projects like this are therefore becoming increasingly important to store excess electricity and supply it back during periods of high demand.
The tender document states that the BESS project will operate at nearly 1.5 charge-discharge cycles per day.
The indicative charging schedule includes:
- 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM
- 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
The discharging schedule includes:
- 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM
- 6:00 PM to midnight
In simple terms, the battery system will store electricity during low-demand periods or high renewable generation hours and discharge electricity during morning and evening peak demand periods when electricity consumption rises sharply.
The project will also include:
- internal and external roads
- drainage infrastructure
- fencing
- communication systems
- street lighting
- evacuation systems
- switchgear modifications
- security infrastructure.
GIPCL has set the project completion timeline at 18 months from the issuance of the Letter of Intent (LoI).
The company has also included a detailed 10-year operation and maintenance requirement as part of the contract. The O&M period will begin after successful completion of Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT) and Performance Guarantee tests.
Under the tender conditions, the battery system must achieve at least 60 percent round-trip efficiency during Operational Acceptance Testing. Failure to meet this threshold will be treated as non-compliance.
The tender process includes several important timelines:
- Site visit for bidders: June 5, 2026
- Last date for technical queries: June 10, 2026
- Pre-bid meeting: June 15, 2026
- Online bid submission deadline: June 25, 2026
- Physical document submission deadline: July 1, 2026.
Financially, bidders will be required to submit:
- ₹5,900 tender fee
- ₹1.1 crore Earnest Money Deposit (EMD)
- 10 percent Performance Bank Guarantee after award.
The qualification requirements for bidders are also highly technical. Companies can qualify through:
- direct VRFB project execution experience
- renewable EPC experience with VRFB technology partnership
- or large industrial EPC experience combined with qualified VRFB technology partners.
Bidders must also demonstrate:
- minimum ₹200 crore average annual turnover
- positive net worth
- access to at least ₹17 crore liquidity or credit facilities.
The project reflects the growing industry interest in non-lithium long-duration battery technologies for grid-scale applications. Unlike lithium-ion systems, Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries are considered suitable for longer-duration storage due to:
- longer lifecycle
- higher cycling capability
- lower degradation
- better scalability for utility applications.
The latest GIPCL BESS tender also highlights Gujarat’s growing focus on energy storage infrastructure as renewable energy penetration increases across the state.
GIPCL currently operates 1,859.4 MW of installed power generation capacity, including thermal, solar and wind projects. The company already has 1,049.4 MW renewable energy capacity comprising 937 MW solar and 112.4 MW wind assets across Gujarat.
With the launch of the new VRFB-based BESS tender by GIPCL, Gujarat is now moving beyond conventional battery storage deployment and entering the long-duration energy storage segment, which is increasingly being viewed as critical for supporting India’s future renewable energy and grid stability goals.
| Capacity | 20 MW/120 MWh Vanadium Redox Flow Battery |
| Location | Vadodara, Gujarat |
| Last Date | 25/06/2026 |
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