In 2024, several agencies issued tenders for standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a combined capacity of 3,625 MW/8,100 MWh. The largest tender was floated by the Solar Energy Corporation of India for the development of a 1000 MW/2000 MWh standalone BESS. Other significant tenders, each for 500 MW/1,000 MWh, were floated by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam, and Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam.

India’s electric vehicle (EV) market experienced significant growth in 2024, with over 4.64 million registered EVs across the country. This surge in adoption was fueled by various incentives and subsidies provided by both the Union and state governments, driving EV usage across all categories. By the third quarter, EVs accounted for 5.8% of total automobile sales, out of 5.69 million units sold, as per data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ Vahan Dashboard. This article highlights the key developments in India’s EV sector during 2024.

India’s cumulative wind power installations as of September 2024 has reached a capacity of 47.3 GW. The capacity additions in 2024 have been driven by increased demand for wind energy by state distribution companies and other obligated entities to fulfil their renewable purchase obligations. This article explores the major development in the wind energy sector throughout the year, with regulatory advancements.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from multiple government agencies on a plea regarding improper disposal and recycling of photovoltaic solar modules. The NGT was responding to a letter petition from a resident from Sapai village, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. It drew attention to the lack of waste management protocols and proper disposal of damaged solar panels from agricultural solar systems usage in villages under the PM KUSUM program.

The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency has issued two tenders for installing 1,098 kW of rooftop solar systems in Maharashtra’s Amravati and Yavatmal districts. Bids must be submitted by January 14, 2025. Bids will be opened on 15 January. Amravati Project (523 kW) Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹350,000 (~$4,210). Selected bidders must complete the project within 120 days of the tender award. The project’s estimated cost is ₹28.1 million (~$338,000).

SJVN has issued a request for selection for setting up cumulative 18 MW grid-connected rooftop solar projects in Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana. Bids must be submitted by January 20, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day. Bidders must pay an earnest money deposit of ₹1,000 (~$11.70)/KW of the quoted capacity. They must furnish a tender fee of ₹5,900 (~$69.04). Bidders can submit bids for more than one state. The total capacity allocated to a bidder, or any group company can reach 18 MW for all projects.

Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals (GACL) will procure 62.7 MW of power in a captive arrangement from Aditya Birla Renewables’ wind-solar project in Gujarat. The project is expected to be completed by next year. GACL and Aditya Birla Renewables and its special purpose vehicle, Aditya Birla Renewables SPV 4, have signed a shareholder’s agreement to set up the captive power project. The two companies have signed a power consumption agreement for 25 years.

Automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra has announced that the final tranche of investment by British International Investment in its subsidiary Mahindra Electric Automobile has been revised from ₹7.25 billion (~$84.74 million) to ₹6.5 billion (~$75.98 billion). The final tranche is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025. This brings BII’s total investment in Mahindra Electric Automobile to ₹18.5 billion (~$216.28 billion), resulting in a 2.64%-4.58% shareholding on a fully diluted basis. To date, BII has invested ₹12 billion (~$140.27 million) in Mahindra Electric Automobile.

The U.S.’s electricity demand for data centres has tripled over the last decade. It is expected to further double or triple by 2028, according to the report published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The report examines the energy use of U.S. data centres, including servers, storage, network equipment, and infrastructure, between 2014 and 2028. The report notes that data centres consumed approximately 4.4% or 176 TWh of the total U.S. electricity in 2023 and are projected to consume approximately 6.7% to 12% or 325 TWh to 580 TWh by 2028.