India Forays Into MWh-Scale LDES with Inauguration of Largest Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal inaugurated India's largest Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) system today - a 3 MWh capacity installation marking the country's foray into MWh-scale VRFB technology for long-duration energy storage (LDES). 

The event took place at NETRA, the R&D Centre of NTPC in Greater Noida, signalling a milestone in India's energy transition journey. Manohar Lal was joined by senior officials, including Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary (Power), Additional Secretary Piyush Singh, and others from the Ministry of Power.

VRFB, A New Frontier in Energy Storage

The 3 MWh VRFB system represents advanced battery technology, offering alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The Indian market for VRFB is projected to grow robustly in the upcoming years - from USD 70.69 million in 2024, it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8 percent by 2031.

The Vanadium Redox Flow Battery is a contemporary technology that has the potential to emerge as one of the alternatives for more traditional lithium-ion-based batteries. The development of this advanced battery system will widen the pool of elements that can be sourced and used for making battery systems, the Ministry of Power noted.

NTPC NETRA's Broader R&D Innovations

During the visit, the Minister was briefed on several cutting-edge technologies developed at NETRA, including carbon capture, green hydrogen, diverse energy storage solutions, and waste-to-energy technologies. 

Several demonstration plants were showcased, including Green Hydrogen Mobility Plant, STP Water-based Green Hydrogen Plant, Solid Oxide-based High-Temperature Steam Electrolyzer, MSW-RDF based Enhanced Steam Gasification Plant, and AC Microgrid featuring 4 MWp solar capacity paired with a 1 MWh Lithium-Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide Battery Energy Storage System (Li-NMC BESS).

India’s Energy Storage Scene

India is witnessing a tide of expansion in energy storage capabilities, with big and small players entering the space in recent times. The likes of Adani and Reliance are among the players foraying into the space recently. 

Earlier this week, Adani Group announced its entry into the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) sector with a 1126 MW / 3530 MWh project, which is to be commissioned by March 2026. On the other hand, Reliance NU Energies has secured the largest allocation in India’s first-ever FDRE ISTS tender - 1500 MW / 6000 MWh - issued by SJVN Limited.