India is getting ready to mandate battery storage for new solar and onshore wind projects, which is a big change in the way the nation intends to handle its quickly growing renewable energy potential.
New solar and onshore wind projects that are put into service starting on July 1, 2027, must have battery storage equal to at least 10% of their installed capacity, according to draft regulations created by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The storage system must be able to provide power for at least two hours, according to Reuters.
The proposal comes at a time when India is adding renewable capacity at a rapid pace but is also confronting a new problem: having more clean electricity available at certain times than the grid can absorb or transport.
The storage requirement is designed to address that mismatch. Instead of allowing surplus solar or wind power to go unused, batteries can store electricity when generation is high and release it when demand rises or renewable generation falls. Storage mandate to double duration from 2029, The proposed rules would become more stringent from July 2029.
The minimum storage duration would then increase from two hours to four hours, while the requirement for storage capacity equivalent to at least 10 per cent of the project’s installed capacity would remain. The move would make energy storage an integral part of new renewable projects rather than relying entirely on the transmission network or other power sources to balance fluctuations in generation.
For solar power, the need is particularly evident. Generation typically peaks during the middle of the day, while electricity demand can remain high or rise later in the evening when solar output starts falling. Battery storage can bridge that gap by shifting a portion of daytime renewable generation to periods of higher demand. The urgency of the issue is underscored by the amount of renewable electricity already being curtailed.
India curtailed nearly 14 per cent of its solar power generation between April and June, according to the Reuters report. Surplus electricity during daylight hours, combined with constraints in the transmission network, meant that some available solar power could not be absorbed by the grid.
Curtailment effectively means reducing renewable generation even though a solar or wind plant is capable of producing electricity. Clean-energy projects commissioned after July 2027 would also be required to have grid-forming inverter capabilities, according to the draft.
By assisting in the maintenance of voltage and frequency, grid-forming technology can improve grid stability for battery-based and renewable power systems. As the percentage of electricity generated from renewable sources rises, this skill becomes more crucial.
The physical features of conventional power plants—especially those that use synchronous generators—help stabilize the electrical grid. Power-electronic inverters are typically used to connect solar and wind projects to the grid, and they do not offer those features in the same manner.
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