In a recent advisory, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has recommended that a minimum energy storage system capacity of two hours should be integrated with upcoming solar power plants.
CEA has advised renewable energy implementing agencies (REIA) and state utilities to incorporate a minimum of two-hour co-located energy storage systems (ESS), equivalent to 10 per cent of the installed solar project capacity, in future solar tenders.
This requirement will help mitigate intermittency issues and provide critical support during peak demand periods, the advisory felt.
Power distribution licensees may also consider mandating 2-hour with rooftop solar plants as well, CEA recommended, stating that it would improve reliability of supply at the consumer end and the distribution licensee can also be relieved of “over-injection” during solar hours.
Mode of operation
The storage system can be run on either single-cycle operation where it is charged using co-located solar power and discharged during evening hours, or in double-cycle operation, where in addition to solar power, it can be charged using energy from the grid during low demand hours and discharged during peak hours – especially non-solar hours.
Impact
CEA has estimated that the proposed energy storage system clause can help install 14 GW (or 28 GWh) by 2030. The recent decrease in battery prices may also help reduce the power purchase cost during evening hours when solar generation is not available and energy rates on power exchanges are high, the CEA advisory states.
India’s ESS requirement
As of December 31, 2024, India’s energy storage capacity was 4.86 GW with as much as 4.75 GW coming from pumped storage systems (PSP) and 0.11 GW from battery energy storage systems (BESS). As per CEA’s National Electricity Plan (NEP), in order to integrate 364 GW of solar and 121 GW of wind energy capacity by FY32, India would require 73.93 GW (or 411.4 GWh) of storage capacity with 26.69 GW (or 175.18 GWh) being contributed by PSP and 47.24 GW (or 236.22 GWh) from BESS.
Also read: CEA releases guidelines for interoperability in AMI systems
Featured photograph (source: DNV/Sembcorp) is for representation only
