New renewable energy units may need to store 10% power for 2 hours

New Delhi: The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the power ministry, has proposed mandatorily storing energy for at least two hours and equivalent to at least 10% of the installed capacity for new solar and wind projects.

The move brings the needs of utilities and industries to the front by adding storage to renewable energy projects for ensuring firm and continuous power.

According to the draft amendment to the Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Construction of Electric Plants and Electric Lines) Regulations, plants commissioned from July 2027 are required to install the co-located storage.


For instance, a 100 MW solar project would need at least 10 MW of co-located storage with a two-hour duration. The comments are to be submitted by October 4. "While the capex for a renewable energy developer will go up, the project itself should help in predictable dispatch of power which could overall improve the revenues from the project," Sujoy Ghosh, vice president and country managing director- India at First Solar told ET.

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Last year, CEA had issued an advisory on colocation of energy storage with solar power projects, with similar recommendations to improve dispatchability of solar power. The proposed amendments however make it mandatory under the regulations. Most power utilities, commercial and industrial users and renewable energy developers have already been tendering and building green energy projects with storage to enable more reliable electricity. The proposed rules also raised the storage duration requirement for projects commissioned from July 1, 2029, to June 30, 2031.