Battery energy storage systems emerge as key enabler of India's energy and mobility transition

Industry leaders urge R&D push for sodium-ion and next-gen chemistries

Bengaluru, October 2026: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are vital to India's clean energy transition, stabilizing the grid to achieve 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030-31. With a projected 236 GWh storage demand backed by a Rs 50,000 crore government incentive scheme, the urgent need to scale domestic manufacturing and alternative chemistries like sodium-ion was emphasized by industry leaders ahead of The Battery Show India.

The Battery Show India, organised by Informa Markets in India, brought together senior industry and technology leaders in Bengaluru for a media roundtable ahead of the 4th edition of the show, scheduled for October 22-24, 2026, at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. The discussion focused on scaling domestic capabilities across advanced battery technologies, grid-scale BESS, power electronics, smart-grid solutions, battery management, manufacturing and R&D, as India accelerates renewable energy integration and strengthens grid flexibility and reliability.

The roundtable featured perspectives from senior representatives across energy storage, smart-grid technology, advanced research, power systems, industrial technology, market intelligence and the broader business ecosystem. Dignitaries included Mr Ramesh Shivanna, Director, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI); Mr I B Rao, Managing Director, Pom Power Systems; Mr Tirumaleswara Reddy K, Co-Founder & CTO, Smartgrid Analytics; Prof Aninda J Bhattacharyya, Professor and J C Bose National Fellow, Indian Institute of Science; Mr Ketan Chitnis, Chief Operating Officer, Lineage Power Private Limited; Mr Amol Kotwal, Vice President – Energy & Environment Growth Advisory, Frost & Sullivan; alongside Mr Rajneesh Khattar, Senior Group Director, Informa Markets in India.

Speaking at the roundtable discussion, Mr Ramesh Shivanna, Director, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), said "Battery energy storage systems are emerging as a key enabler of India's energy and mobility transition, supporting renewable energy integration as well as the shift from fossil-fuel vehicles to electric mobility. While around 9 GW of storage capacity has been installed so far, the potential stands at around 236 GW, creating significant opportunities for manufacturing, investment, employment and domestic supply chains."

Mr Amol Kotwal, Vice President – Energy & Environment Growth Advisory, Frost & Sullivan, highlighted "India's aggressive renewable energy expansion, with a target of 500 GW of capacity by 2030-31, makes battery energy storage systems critical for managing intermittency, ensuring grid reliability and making renewable power available when required. With renewable capacity at around 295 GW, including nearly 170 GW of solar, the need for storage will only increase."

Mr I B Rao, Managing Director, Pom Power Systems & Services, said "We entered the battery energy storage market in India in 2022, when the concept was still relatively new. The sector has since evolved rapidly, and we are now seeing strong demand, particularly from Maharashtra and Karnataka. We operate primarily in the commercial and industrial segment, with systems up to 5 MW, and have already deployed a 150 kW energy storage system at ANERT, Kerala, which has been operational for 1.5 years, as well as a solar, storage and EV charging project at Bharat Electronics."

Prof Aninda J Bhattacharyya, Professor and J C Bose National Fellow, Indian Institute of Science, said "India's energy-storage ambitions, including the requirement of around 300 GWh, make self-reliance across the battery value chain critical. While lithium-ion will continue to play an important role, we need to look beyond it at the R&D level and develop technologies that leverage materials available in India."

Mr Ketan Chitnis, Chief Operating Officer, Lineage Power Private Limited, said "Over the last four years, The Battery Show India has evolved significantly, reflecting the rapid growth of India's energy-storage ecosystem and its increasing global relevance. At Pace Digitech & Lineage Power, we have already deployed 1.5 GWh of battery energy storage systems, including more than 500 MWh with MSEDCL, giving us valuable real-world data on system performance and grid requirements under Indian conditions"

Mr Tirumaleswara Reddy K, Co-Founder & CTO, Smartgrid Analytics, said "Renewable energy generation is inherently variable, making it challenging for power plants to meet their committed schedules and often exposing them to higher Deviation Settlement Mechanism (DSM) penalties. Battery energy storage systems can play a critical role in addressing this challenge by balancing over- and under-injection, stabilising grid operations and enabling plants to meet their committed power schedules."

Mr Rajneesh Khattar, Senior Group Director, Informa Markets in India, said "India's energy transition is increasingly moving from renewable capacity addition to the larger challenge of integrating that power reliably into the grid. The Central Electricity Authority has projected a requirement of 236 GWh of BESS by 2031–32, while the Government's recent approval for deploying 50 GWh of BESS under the Green Energy Corridor further underlines the scale and urgency of the opportunity."

Scheduled for October 22-24, 2026, at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, the 19th edition of Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo is to be referred to as Asia's most comprehensive clean energy convergence. Together, REI and TBSI form Asia's most influential clean energy gathering, uniting global manufacturers, innovators, investors and policymakers on a platform where India's clean energy ambitions meet global technology, capital and innovation. This edition will have over 800 exhibitors representing 1,000+ brands and an expected footfall exceeding 55,000 industry leaders, senior government representatives and distinguished global dignitaries.