India Launches First Fully Automated Battery Energy Storage System Factory in Karnataka

India’s First Fully Automated BESS Factory Opens in Karnataka
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Energy storage is critical for harnessing solar and wind power, as emphasized by Karnataka’s energy minister during the inauguration of India’s first fully automated battery energy storage system (BESS) factory. On June 27, Lineage Power, a manufacturer specializing in power conversion systems and controls, launched its 5GWh BESS factory in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka.

At the event, Karnataka energy minister KJ George announced plans to implement battery storage systems at all solar PV power plants to store excess energy for grid supply as needed, according to a tweet from the state government’s Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR). George noted that the state has seen significant growth in wind and solar PV, which now account for 65% of the energy generation. While Karnataka has maintained a surplus for several years, he highlighted the necessity of effective storage solutions to manage energy supply during peak demand periods.

Although the Deccan Herald did not specify a mandatory requirement for storage, the DIPR tweet suggested that a mandate may be forthcoming.

### Advancing Towards Renewable Goals

Lineage Power, owned by Pace Digitek, a company in the telecom and energy solutions sector, unveiled the factory in Bidadi, Bengaluru’s South District. Pace Digitek acquired Lineage Power from General Electric in 2014, which had previously purchased it from ABB in 2011. The new facility is described as a unique, fully automated BESS manufacturing site with an annual production capacity of 5GWh.

Pralhad Joshi, the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, also attended the inauguration. He mentioned that the factory would produce 5MWh DC blocks for utility-scale applications, paired with a 2.5MW power conversion system. Joshi stated, “As more renewable energy enters our grid, reliable and scalable energy storage will be essential. Projects like this bring us closer to our goal of 500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.”

In a recent guest blog for Energy-Storage.News, Debmalya Sen, president of the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), indicated that the government is not only stimulating energy storage deployment through tenders and incentives but also promoting domestic supply chains. Despite the introduction of subsidies for 40GWh of advanced chemistry cell (ACC) batteries through the national Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, manufacturing of battery cells in India has yet to gain traction. However, it is anticipated that by the end of the decade, India will achieve an annual production capacity of 225GWh for battery packs.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has also indicated that energy storage should be a mandatory component in solar PV tenders. The CEA’s plans include significant volumes of pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) to complement BESS for long-duration energy storage (LDES).

Karnataka’s minister KJ George announced plans for a 2GW battery storage project, alongside three PHES plants, including the 2GW Sharavathi project, the 1.5GW Varahi project, and the 1GW Pavagada project. In addition, state-owned power producer NTPC is piloting the deployment of flow battery storage and evaluating a carbon dioxide-based LDES technology from the Italian company Energy Dome.

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This article outlines the significant advancements in India’s energy storage sector, highlighting the critical role of new technologies and infrastructure in achieving renewable energy goals.