Tata Power's well-known branch, Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), has won its first battery energy storage project in Kerala on its own. In the end, this project would benefit the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEB) by putting in a 30 MW / 120 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at the 220 kV substation at Areacode.
The project is a part of NHPC's huge plan to install 125 MW / 500 MWh of battery storage capacity in state of Kerala, India. The BESS Tranche-I procurement process of NPHC have also provided the project with the lowest bidder. The projected is also highlighting that how vital energy storage technologies are growing as more and more renewable energy sources are being added to the state and country networks.
The new system has the capacity of 120 MWh of energy and has a power output of 30 MW and is also designed to provide backup power for around four hours. A 12-year Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA) is governing the project that is all set to go live in 15 months. This battery installation will play a key role in handling peak load needs, which makes the battery energy grid more flexible and easier to integrate renewable energy sources across the state of Kerala, India.
This breakthrough fits in with India's wider goal of having 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030. It shows how important storage is for the use of renewable energy. The Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding methodology and Viability Gap Funding that NHPC uses for its program show that the government strongly supports these kinds of infrastructure projects.
This transaction is Tata Power Renewable Energy's first step into the standalone battery energy storage industry. Before, TPREL ran a 100 MW solar project in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, with 120 MWh of battery storage. This plant was built as part of an EPC contract with the Solar Energy Corporation of India. So, the Kerala project greatly expands Tata Power Renewable's range of projects and knowledge in energy storage technology.
Adding this brings TPREL's overall renewable energy portfolio to about 10.9 GW, with 5.6 GW of it already in use (4.6 GW of solar and 1 GW of wind) and 5.3 GW still in the works. Tata Power is committed to providing innovative, dispatchable, and sustainable clean energy solutions across the country. Its stronger and more diverse renewable base supports this goal.
In conclusion, Tata Power Renewable's purchase of the 30 MW/120 MWh battery energy storage project from NHPC is an important step in making Kerala's power infrastructure stronger, making it easier to use renewable energy, and helping India reach its clean energy goals. As India progresses toward a future powered mostly by renewables, devices like this battery storage facility will be very important for making sure that renewable electricity is always available and that the grid is more stable.
Source: TATA POWER
