Precious Anga
Lagos — India has approved a $19.42 billion renewable energy programme aimed at strengthening its electricity transmission network and expanding battery storage as the country accelerates the addition of clean power capacity.
The country’s Cabinet approved the 1.86 trillion-rupee programme on Wednesday, with the investment targeted at addressing infrastructure constraints that could limit the integration of new renewable energy into the national grid.
A major component of the programme is a 1.36 trillion-rupee plan to strengthen electricity transmission systems within Indian states. According to the government, the investment will provide infrastructure capable of evacuating up to 135 gigawatts, GW, of clean energy from generation points to areas where the electricity is needed.
The decision comes as India’s renewable energy capacity continues to expand, creating pressure on the transmission network to keep pace with new generation. Without adequate transmission infrastructure, electricity generated from renewable sources can face difficulties reaching consumption centres.
The programme also includes a 500 billion-rupee incentive scheme to support the installation of 50 gigawatt-hours, GWh, of battery energy storage systems. The storage component is designed to address the gap between renewable power generation and electricity demand, particularly because solar generation is concentrated during daylight hours.
India’s storage push is also tied to the wider challenge of managing variable renewable power. Battery systems can store electricity when renewable generation is available and make it possible to release that power when required, reducing pressure on the grid as the share of clean energy increases.
The investment supports India’s target of increasing its non-fossil-fuel power capacity to 500GW by 2030, from about 304GW currently, according to government figures reported by Reuters.
The scale of the programme highlights the infrastructure required alongside renewable generation. Building solar and wind capacity alone does not guarantee that electricity can be delivered reliably; transmission networks and energy storage must expand alongside generation capacity.
For energy markets such as Nigeria’s, the development also underlines the importance of treating renewable generation, grid infrastructure and storage as interconnected parts of the power system rather than separate investments. India’s programme places transmission and storage at the centre of its strategy to absorb additional clean energy capacity.
