India’s IL&FS Energy has appointed GE’s energy consulting division to investigate integrated wind, solar and storage projects in the Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat regions.
The move comes on the back of last year’s promise by the US to invest almost $2bn in the country’s renewables industry.
IL&FS managing director Sunil Wadhwa said energy storage technologies are essential for India as part of the country’s bid to integrate more renewables.
“Energy storage technologies…help to address the variability of wind and solar PV generation and make renewable energy more acceptable to the grid,” said Wadhwa.
“For commercial deployment of these technologies, a robust regulatory framework needs to be in place. The flexibility and cost reductions that energy storage technologies provide to grid infrastructure would allow India to achieve an efficient, low-carbon intensity trajectory.”
He added: “The current challenge, however, is to address the initial high cost through a regulatory framework.”
Sundar Venkataraman, a technical director in GE’s energy consulting business, said storage was important for India due to weaknesses in the country’s technical grid infrastructure.
“As the costs start to come down, energy storage will become an integral part of India’s grid,” he said.
“By taking a look at the impact of renewable integration with energy storage systems on India’s power grid, we can provide valuable information to help the country best design its future grid.”
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