Meine Electric Iron-Air Battery Enters NTPC LDES Pilot

Meine Electric’s indigenous Iron-Air Battery technology is set to undergo utility-scale evaluation at NTPC Simhadri Thermal Power Station, with the pilot focused on assessing its potential for long-duration energy storage (LDES) applications.

The project will be implemented with Atal Incubation Centre – Anna University (AIC-AU), with Meine Electric serving as the technology partner. The pilot will evaluate the battery system under real-world utility operating conditions, providing performance data on its technical capabilities, reliability and operational characteristics.

The initiative comes as India increases its renewable energy capacity and looks for storage technologies capable of balancing variable solar and wind generation. Long-duration storage can help shift renewable electricity across longer periods and support grid flexibility, reliability and round-the-clock clean power.

Key highlights of the pilot:

Evaluation of indigenous Iron-Air Battery technology at NTPC Simhadri.
Focus on long-duration energy storage applications.
Six-hour charging and 18-hour discharge capability.
Performance assessment under utility operating conditions.
Collaboration involving Meine Electric and AIC-AU.

Meine Electric said its proprietary Fast Charge Long Discharge (FCLD) technology is designed to provide a six-hour charging cycle followed by up to 18 hours of discharge. The company said the technology has also undergone validation by Customized Energy Solutions (CES), the parent company of the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).

The CES Battery Laboratory evaluated the technology’s electrochemical performance, capacity retention and operational stability during a six-hour charging and 18-hour discharging cycle. According to Meine Electric, the testing provides third-party validation as the company moves towards larger demonstrations and eventual commercial deployment.

Meine Electric describes itself as the first company in the Asia-Pacific region and the third globally to develop Iron-Air LDES technology. The company is now seeking to demonstrate how its technology performs beyond laboratory conditions and under the operational requirements of a utility-scale environment.

Through the AIC-Anna University initiative, Meine Electric will oversee the development, system integration and performance monitoring of the Iron-Air Battery system. Data collected during the pilot is expected to provide insights into system efficiency, operational stability and suitability for extended-duration storage applications.

The results could also help establish performance benchmarks for future deployments and guide further development of the technology for commercial-scale projects.

Priyansh Mohan, Co-Founder and CEO of Meine Electric, said the selection of the company’s indigenous Iron-Air Battery technology for the NTPC Simhadri pilot provides an opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities under utility operating conditions.

He added that the operational data generated through the project could help advance the development of cost-effective long-duration storage solutions for India’s evolving power system.

Kishore Kumar S., CEO of AIC-Anna Incubator, said the collaboration demonstrates the potential for startups, academic institutions and public-sector organisations to work together on technologies addressing major energy challenges.

The pilot follows Meine Electric’s recent fundraising activity. In January 2026, the company raised $750,000, equivalent to around ₹6.7 crore, in pre-seed funding from investors including Antler, Rebalance, Venture Catalysts, gradCapital and AIC-AU Incubation Foundation.

The development highlights the increasing interest in alternative battery chemistries for long-duration applications. As renewable generation grows, storage systems capable of delivering electricity for extended periods are expected to become increasingly important for managing supply variability and strengthening grid resilience.

For Meine Electric, the NTPC Simhadri pilot represents a significant step from technology development and laboratory validation towards field-level demonstration. The operational results will help determine the technology’s potential role in India’s emerging long-duration energy storage market.