India Plans Energy Storage Requirement for State Power Utilities

India Plans Energy Storage Requirement for State Power Utilities

India is preparing to require state electricity utilities to add energy storage as the country tries to move more renewable electricity into evening peak hours.

Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal described the proposed requirement at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit. The precise storage obligation for individual utilities has not yet been announced, leaving important implementation details open.

The policy direction reflects a practical grid problem: solar output is concentrated in daylight hours, while demand can remain high after sunset. Storage could reduce the need to use coal generation to bridge the gap, but deployment costs, tariffs and utility finances will shape the outcome.