Power utility India Power Corporation Ltd (IPCL) and Swiss company E2S Power have come together to develop a Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS) for efficient energy storage and transmission. E2S’s 250 kWh TESS system has been synchronized with IPCL’s system and will help the company achieve its goal of integrating 80% renewable energy into its distribution system by the end of this year, a joint statement on Wednesday said.
This technology will be crucial to achieving India’s net zero emissions targets, not only enabling efficient storage of renewable energy, but crucially, enabling flexibility in thermal power generation operations to accommodate more power in the system without compromising the performance and health of the thermal power plants that are crucial for the country’s energy security, he said.
It was claimed that this technology represents a unique proposition for entities in the energy sector, enabling the seamless integration of renewable energy sources and thermal energy.
IPCL’s TESS business aims to expand its geographical reach to India, Southeast Asia and ASEAN countries, promising wide impact and potential, he added.
This initiative is perfectly in line with the Make in India initiative, under which most TESS components are sourced locally and lithium-ion battery systems are 90% import-dependent, said IPCL director Somesh Dasgupta.
“Due to the deep penetration of renewable electricity sources such as solar and wind energy, the flexibility of thermal power plants is essential. With the successful development and testing of our system, we can accelerate the installation of these systems in Indian power plants, which would enable much more flexible, reliable and less intensive operations,” said E2S Chief Technology Officer Sergei Pancheshny.