Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited research and development (R&D) proposals to set up pilot energy storage systems (ESS) and other renewable energy projects and products.

The tender encourages indigenous innovations in the ESS space, rooftop solar, data analytics, and new renewable energy concepts. It intends to facilitate developing and commissioning these technologies to lay the groundwork for future large-scale implementation.

The scope of work includes design, engineering, installation, commissioning, and testing of the project until the interconnection point at the 11/33 kV substation. The project should be set up at the site identified by SECI, and connectivity will be the responsibility of SECI. The project proposal should include the tentative project layout and single-line diagrams for connectivity to the grid.

SECI has invited bids to demonstrate scalability in gravity-based or mechanical ESS, green hydrogen-based ESS, any other non-electrochemical ESS technology, rooftop systems with or without storage, data analytics of renewable energy projects, and any new renewable energy technologies development and demonstration.

The project capacities should be up to 500 kWh of energy storage capacity, along with a suitable solar power generation system.

The last date to submit the proposals is October 14, 2022.

The innovative rooftop products developed under this proposal will be deployed either at SECI establishments or at any site chosen by SECI.

Academic institutions, including engineering colleges, public and private Industries, societies, trusts, non-government organizations, startups, and organizations engaged in R&D to promote new and renewable energy, can participate in the bidding process.

The project must be completed within 1-2 years from the date of sanction of the project. SECI will support the project’s funding up to 100% of the project cost within the financial outlay submitted in the proposal.

SECI will be the monitoring entity for the projects. A project monitoring committee will comprise subject matter experts from the industry, academia, and representatives from SECI.

In June this year, SECI announced the annulment of the request for proposal to set up a 25 kW green hydrogen-based pilot project at SNM hospital in Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh. The bid was issued in March this year.

Earlier, JSW Renew Energy Five Limited, a special purpose vehicle of JSW Energy, had won SECI’s auction to set up pilot projects of 500 MW/1000 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems under a build, own, operate, and transfer model.

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