COEP Tech, JSW to invest over Rs 800 crore in battery R&D centre in Pune

COEP Technological University and JSW Projects will jointly invest more than Rs 800 crore to set up an Advanced Battery Research and Development Centre at the university's Chikhali Research Park, creating a facility to develop and validate lithium-ion and other advanced-chemistry battery cells in India.

The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday for the project, which will be developed in two phases. According to a statement, the centre will be India's first indigenous battery prototyping and pilot-scale R&D platform and will bring lithium-ion cell technology development to an academic campus in Pune.

The first phase will establish a Cell Research and Development Centre for designing, simulating and prototyping lithium-ion and other advanced-chemistry cells, including sodium-ion cells.


The second phase will expand the facility into a Cell Validation Centre capable of producing cells with capacities ranging from 100 Ah to 600 Ah.

The batteries developed at the centre will be designed to perform at par with global benchmarks while being tailored to India's climatic conditions and applications.

The facility will also support joint research, academic publications, projects and intellectual property development, with the aim of taking battery technology from laboratory research to industrial applications on campus.

Centre aims to build indigenous battery capabilities

The initiative is expected to strengthen Maharashtra's position in battery technology and could catalyse more than 1,000 jobs across the battery ecosystem, according to the statement.

COEP Technological University Vice Chancellor Prof Sunil Bhirud said the collaboration could help create an indigenous alternative to imported batteries while giving students exposure to advanced battery technologies.

"This collaboration has the potential to create a strong indigenous alternative to imported batteries and make a significant contribution to India's journey towards self-reliance. For students, it will provide a unique opportunity to learn and work on cutting-edge battery technologies," Bhirud said.

"The scale of this initiative makes it a significant step forward in strengthening India's battery technology ecosystem," he added.

JSW sees battery cells as the 'new oil'

JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said developing domestic cell-manufacturing capabilities would be critical to India's clean energy transition.

"Cell is the new oil. Just as oil powered the last century, battery cells will power this one, from electric vehicles to the grid. For decades, India has spent precious forex importing oil. This time, we must build the cutting-edge skills and capabilities to make these cells right here, for a new India," Jindal said.

"Our partnership with COEP Tech, with its 170-year legacy of engineering excellence, will bring industry and academia together to design, test and validate cells built for Indian conditions, and help shape India's clean energy future," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)