India scales Battery Energy Storage Systems for renewable energy transition

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming essential to India’s clean energy transition as the nation aims to reach 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030–31. Industry leaders at a media roundtable ahead of The Battery Show India emphasized that while expanding renewable generation is important, the ability to stabilize the grid and coordinate generation with consumption is the next critical benchmark.

As of late September 2026, India’s non-fossil capacity stood at 308 GW, including 171 GW from solar and 59 GW from wind. However, the variable nature of these sources requires advanced storage intelligence to manage demand, which is projected by the International Energy Agency to grow at an annual rate of 6.4% through 2030.

To support this transition, a government incentive scheme of ₹50,000 crore is expected to drive a projected 236 GWh storage demand. Discussions among industry experts highlighted the urgent need to scale domestic manufacturing and explore alternative chemistries, such as sodium-ion, to enhance grid flexibility and reliability.