India Needs 888 GWh of Energy Storage by 2035-36 to Support Renewable Energy Growth: IESA Chennai Connect 2026
India’s clean energy transition will increasingly depend on its ability to scale up domestic energy storage technologies, as rapid renewable energy deployment creates growing requirements for grid flexibility and reliability.
India has surpassed 283 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, but technology integration and grid flexibility remain key challenges. According to discussions at the recently concluded India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) Chennai Connect 2026, the country will require approximately 888 GWh of energy storage capacity by 2035-36 to meet rising electricity demand and support reliable integration of renewable power.
Industry experts at the event called for accelerated development of indigenous battery energy storage systems (BESS), alongside investments in domestic manufacturing, research and development, grid infrastructure and supporting supply chains.
Energy Storage Critical to India’s Renewable Energy Transition
Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor at IIT Madras, said energy storage would be one of the defining technologies of India’s energy transition and would be essential to complement renewable generation.
“Energy storage will be one of the defining technologies of India’s energy transition. Renewable energy must stay at the forefront, but it needs to be supported by storage to build a stronger, more reliable, and increasingly affordable power system,” he said.
According to Jhunjhunwala, technologies including sodium-ion batteries and long-duration storage solutions such as iron-air batteries could become increasingly important over the next five to seven years.
He also emphasised the need to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities across battery technologies, power electronics and the broader clean-energy supply chain to strengthen India’s long-term energy security.
IESA Calls for Integrated Domestic Storage Ecosystem
The summit highlighted the role of Indian innovation and manufacturing in addressing the country’s emerging energy storage requirements.
Bindu Madhavi, Senior Director-Policy and Regulatory at India Energy Storage Alliance, said India needs to build technology, manufacturing capacity, grid infrastructure and market mechanisms at a pace that matches its renewable energy ambitions.
“Storage must no longer be viewed as an add-on to renewable energy, but as an integral part of how India plans, builds and operates its future power system,” she said.
Madhavi called for an ecosystem extending beyond batteries to include materials and cells, battery management systems (BMS), power conversion systems (PCS), system integration, long-duration storage, grid technologies, recycling and second-life applications.
She added that the coming decade would be critical in determining whether India develops into not only a major energy storage market but also a global hub for storage technology, manufacturing and innovation.
Industry Highlights: Need for Complete Battery Value Chain
Technical and business sessions at the summit focused on developing a comprehensive domestic battery value chain, covering modular storage solutions, second-life applications, supply chain resilience, recycling and advanced procurement models.
Bittu Singh, Manager, Power Trading and Sustainability at Customized Energy Solutions (CES), highlighted the growing importance of tailored electricity procurement strategies for commercial and industrial consumers.
“Tailored power procurement strategies, incorporating renewables, open access, and energy storage, are key to maximising value, resilience, and sustainability for Indian businesses,” he said.
The expansion of energy storage is also creating opportunities across sectors such as electric mobility, logistics and data centres, supporting technology adoption and potential job creation.