India's Energy Storage Landscape - Installed Battery Storage Capacity Reaches 219.1 MWh

India had a cumulative installed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity totaling 219.1 MWh as of March 2024, according to India’s Energy Storage Landscape report by Mercom India Research. Capacity installations in Q1 2024 totaled 120 MWh (40 MW).

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems combined with battery energy storage systems (PV + BESS) accounted for 90.6% of the total installed capacity.

The rapid addition of intermittent renewable energy sources, solar and wind, which accounted for 28.9% of the country’s electricity capacity as of March 2024,  has significantly impacted grid stability. Policy measures such as deviation settlement mechanism, grid connectivity regulations, and ancillary services regulations are being issued to ensure efficient renewable integration and grid stability. These measures are driving the demand for utility-scale energy storage.

The highest BESS capacity was installed in Chhattisgarh, accounting for 54.8% of cumulative installed capacity.

The country’s operational pumped hydro storage capacity totaled 3.3 GW as of March 2024, per  Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data. Nearly 76% of the country’s operating capacity is in Telangana and West Bengal.

As of March 2024, 1.6 GWh (~1 GW) of standalone BESS, 9.7 GW of renewable energy projects plus energy storage, and 78.1 GW of pumped hydro projects were in various stages of development (60 GW is under survey and investigation, and 18.1 is under development).

The highest capacity of standalone BESS under development was in Rajasthan. Favorable provisions for energy storage capacity development in the state’s renewable energy policy and annual energy storage obligations (applicable through FY30) have been driving the state’s demand for energy storage.

To meet the demand for efficient energy utilization from renewable sources, various government agencies have issued tenders totaling 57 GW and auctioned 11.5 GW of energy storage projects, with or without renewable energy capacities, as of March 2024.

India’s Energy Storage Landscape report provides a detailed account of the landscape of energy storage systems projects in India. The report outlines the status of energy storage installations, key states for energy storage capacity development, tariff trends, the pipeline and installed capacity of standalone BESS projects, renewable energy plus BESS, and pumped storage. This report is valuable in understanding India’s energy storage market landscape, policies driving capacity additions, and the expansion trajectory.

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