Context:
India’s first commercial utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), an advanced inverter capable of supplying electricity to a grid, is expected to be operational in Delhi.
- The 20 MW/40 MWh battery cluster, providing four hours of power daily, is integrated into the BSES Rajdhani substation in Kilokri, South Delhi.
- This advanced storage system will boost grid reliability by storing excess renewable energy and releasing it during peak demand, ensuring a stable and efficient power supply.
- The system marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to integrate renewable energy and modernize its power infrastructure.
About BESS
- It is an advanced technology that enables versatile energy storage for later use.
- It stores energy for later use, ensuring continual power despite fluctuations due to weather, blackouts, or geopolitical issues.
- It is a vital component of energy strategies, especially those using renewable solar power.
- Combining BESS with solar power (PV) helps store energy during the day for nighttime use, ensuring a steady power supply.
Main Applications
- Commercial and Industrial Applications:
- Peak Shaving: Manages energy demand to prevent sudden consumption spikes.
- Load Shifting: Shifts energy use to off-peak times, reducing costs.
- Flexibility: Reduces grid demand during critical times without altering consumption, aiding in Demand Response programs.
- Microgrids: Batteries enable disconnection from the main grid for independent operation.
- Renewable Integration: Ensures continuous power flow when renewable sources are unavailable.
- Residential Benefits:
- Self-consumption: Stores solar energy for use at night.
- Emergency Backup: Provides power during blackouts.
- Off-Grid Capability: Allows full detachment from the utility grid.
Advantages of battery energy storage system
- Environmental Gains: Reduces pollution, supports the energy transition, and combats global warming by utilizing renewable energy.
- Lower Energy Costs: Stores low-cost energy for use during peak periods, saving money, especially when paired with solar power.
- Less Grid Dependence: Ensures continuous energy supply, even during grid instability or extreme weather.
- “Always On” Supply: Compensates for solar energy fluctuations by storing excess power for 24/7 use.
- Resilience: Provides emergency backup during power outages, ensuring business continuity.
Types of battery energy storage systems
- Behind-the-Meter (BTM) Systems: Installed on-site, these smaller systems enhance energy stability and reduce costs, with the potential to supply energy back to the grid if allowed by regulations, creating an additional revenue stream.
- Front-of-the-Meter (FTM) Systems: Larger systems connected directly to the grid, typically owned by utilities, addressing network congestion or serving as an alternative to new power lines.
India’s Energy Storage Strategy
- India targets 50% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 and a 45% reduction in GDP emission intensity (from 2005 levels).
- Energy Storage Systems (ESS) help stabilize the grid, store excess RE, and ensure supply during peak hours.
- ESS benefits include reducing RE generation variability, improving grid stability, enabling peak shifting, and supporting renewable integration.
- National Electricity Plan (2023) projects ESS capacity:
- 82.37 GWh in 2026-27.
- 411.4 GWh by 2031-32.
- 2380 GWh by 2047.
- Energy Storage Obligations (ESO) will increase from 1% in FY 2023-24 to 4% by FY 2029-30, with 85% of stored energy sourced from RE.