- India must expand renewable energy storage to bridge the gap between installed capacity and actual generation.
- Rooftop solar and battery storage adoption are essential for achieving reliable clean energy and a net-zero transition.
Renewable energy, particularly solar, which accounts for approximately 50% of India’s installed capacity, demonstrates that the country is making progress toward reducing its dependence on coal for electricity production. However, the reality is more complex. Currently, renewable energy generation achieves only about 26% of installed capacity. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, in its latest report, highlighted this critical gap and emphasised the continuing unreliability of renewable energy for meeting peak power demands. Consequently, revisiting and expanding the country’s renewable energy storage capacity, as recommended by the committee, is a pragmatic solution to bridge this shortfall.
Information provided by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) shows that India’s 243 GW of installed renewable capacity is supported by just 5–5.5 GW of storage. The CEA’s Optimal Generation Mix 2030 report estimates that by 2029–2030, the country will require 60.63 GW of storage, including 18.98 GW from Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) and 41.65 GW from Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs). The Parliamentary Committee noted that high costs have slowed storage development, making it less attractive to developers and buyers. Consequently, the onus falls on the government to devise innovative measures to accelerate growth in storage capacity.
To meet these targets, expediting PSP and BESS projects already sanctioned in various states, including Assam, is crucial. Moreover, the CEA advisory, which mandates that all future renewable projects include at least 10% storage, is expected to enhance storage capacity, provided that developers implement the guidance rigorously. The Ministry of Power’s National Framework for Promoting Energy Storage highlights the fundamental distinction between conventional energy sources and renewable energy sources. While coal, hydroelectric power with storage, and nuclear power can be stockpiled and dispatched as needed, solar, wind, and run-of-the-river hydroelectric power without pondage must be used instantly. Any surplus that is not stored is lost, presenting a significant challenge for grid stability.
Furthermore, the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2022, emphasise shifting industrial and commercial consumers from diesel generators to renewable energy with storage, reducing both air and noise pollution. The framework also mandates the inclusion of end-of-life management plans for storage systems, promoting a circular economy based on the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Initiatives such as rooftop solar projects, including the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, aim to expand household-level energy storage, though only 16% of the target households have been reached so far due to low awareness.
Without significantly increasing storage capacity, simply adding renewable generation will not guarantee a net-zero transition. India must accelerate the deployment of PSP and BESS, integrate circular economy principles, and encourage the widespread adoption of rooftop solar to ensure reliable and clean power for the future.