The Ministry of Heavy Industries has appointed Engineers India, a public sector engineering consultancy company, to oversee the progress of selected beneficiaries under the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) program for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) for energy storage.

Engineers India will act as independent engineers for all three beneficiaries who are in the concluding stages of developing advanced chemistry cells.

With the prototype testing almost done, commercial production is expected to begin gradually in FY 2024.

Ola Cell Technologies is setting up its manufacturing facility in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, whereas ACC Energy Storage is setting up its facility in Dharwad, Karnataka. Reliance New Energy Battery Storage is setting up a facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and has acquired three overseas companies in the ACC manufacturing business.

Advanced chemistry cells can store electrochemical or chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy when required.

The total investment by these beneficiary organizations has reached ₹20.9 billion (~$252.8 million).

The initial bidding for the ACC Energy Storage PLI Program concluded in March 2022, with Ola Electric Mobility, Hyundai Global Motors, Reliance New Energy, and Rajesh Exports securing bids to set up 50 GWh capacity. However, Hyundai Global Motors withdrew from bidding, leaving behind an unallocated capacity of 20 GWh.

The Ministry is currently in the process of re-issuing the tender for the unallocated 20 GWh capacity.

In June 2021, the Department of Heavy Industry issued a notification for the PLI program ‘National Program on ACC battery storage’ to implement ACC manufacturing facilities for EVs. The department allocated a total of ₹181 billion (~$2.18 billion) as the program’s total incentive pay-out for five years.

The program aims to strengthen the country’s electric mobility and battery storage ecosystem, contributing to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

According to NITI Aayog, the PLI program would boost the sector as India’s annual battery market could surpass $15 billion by 2030.