Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly important in India’s transition toward a more sustainable and reliable energy system, shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
With the nation’s goal of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030—including 280 GW from solar—effective energy storage solutions are essential for managing power generation and ensuring a stable energy supply.
BESS provides a range of benefits for integrating renewable energy, such as improving grid stability, enabling peak load management, enhancing the profitability of renewable energy investments, reducing renewable energy curtailment, supporting decentralised energy solutions, and providing fast-response operating reserves.
To support the development of quality infrastructure (QI) services for BESS, our team designed and co-facilitated a multi-stakeholder engagement initiative entitled “Improving Quality Infrastructure for Battery Energy Storage Systems”. This initiative aimed to identify the QI services required by the battery sector to ensure the sustainability, safety, and quality of BESS as well as to meet buyer expectations.
The process was carried out using the Calidena methodology, a participatory approach designed to strengthen QI in value chains through stakeholder collaboration. It involved interviews and meetings with QI institutions and sector organisations, along with background research and mapping of the BESS value chain to identify areas with the highest demand for QI services.
A two-day, in-person stakeholder workshop was conducted in India, where participants collaboratively assessed existing gaps and demands in QI services. The workshop also focussed on identifying priority areas for the development or expansion of QI services. In addition to strengthening specific QI services, the process also aimed to foster greater cooperation and coordination among national and international organisations.
The process culminated in the formulation of an action plan outlining subsequent activities and identifying organisations to be involved in the implementation phase. The implemented activities will support the improvement of laboratory testing facilities, address requirements for the End of Life management of BESS and close existing gaps in supporting standards and technical regulations in India.
The initiative was conducted on behalf of the German Metrology Institute, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).