Saft, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TOTAL, recently announced the launch of the Saft Urja brand batteries to be manufactured and sold by its Indian subsidiary.

The company specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for the industry, from the design and development to the production, customization, and service provision. Saft is all set to introduce new products for industrial and off-grid solar applications in India.

Speaking on the latest development, Franck Cecchi, Vice President of Saft’s industrial standby business, said, “India is strategically important and exciting for Saft. We have a strong presence here, and we’ve built up a solid brand awareness over the past 14 years now. India benefits from a high potential fast-growing battery market, with average annual estimate growth of 9% in the coming five years.”

“We are confident about the future. Urja means energy in Sanskrit, so by branding our products under the name of Saft Urja, we are reflecting the spirit of the country and showing Saft’s positive energy,” added Arindam Majumdar, CEO of Saft India.

Saft Urja manufactures nickel technology battery systems for industrial power backup, utilities, metro operators, oil and gas, and railways. The batteries are well equipped to operate in the most hostile terrains like the Himalayan region and Thar and Kutch deserts’ hot climes.

To leverage the ‘Make in India’ initiative launched by the Indian Government, the India subsidiary has decided to expand its manufacturing facility in Bengaluru by 20%.

In March 2019, the government issued a proposal to set up a national mission on transformative mobility and battery storage initiatives. The Cabinet has also approved the creation of the Phased Manufacturing Program to support the development of large-scale, export-competitive integrated batteries and cell-manufacturing giga-scale projects in India. The Phased Manufacturing Program will be valid for five years until 2024 and help in localization of production across the entire electric vehicles value chain. The program is expected to be finalized by the national mission on transformative mobility and battery storage.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has also issued draft guidelines for performance testing of batteries (lead-acid and nickel-based chemistry type) series approval for mandatory registration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Earlier, Saft opened a new manufacturing hub for energy storage solutions in Zhuhai, China. The new unit will enable Saft to support customers worldwide with an integrated approach to energy storage. This includes every step from initial concept and sizing to system engineering, delivery, and grid connection. As a result, operators will keep their total cost of ownership to a minimum while maximizing performance.