Indigenously built battery to power green homes
MAKE IN INDIA IIT-Bombay and other Indian players are developing ion-lithium batteries comparable to the best in business
NEW DELHI: With the potential to meet average power needs of an Indian middle class family, indigenously built high-quality ion-lithium batteries will soon give competition to the one launched by Tesla in the US last week.
The launch of Tesla’s Powerwall, a home battery of 5 KV storage capacity, triggered hope among solar players believing that ion-lithium battery can take solar power to about 33% of Indian homes that don’t have a regular electricity supply.
An ion-lithium battery has five times more storage capacity than the conventional lead acid batteries that are being used in solar rooftops for homes. It also occupies lesser space than the conventional batteries and requires almost no maintenance.
Far from the limelight, some companies and research institutions like IIT-Bombay are developing high storage capacity and efficient ion-lithium batteries.
“There are six-seven major players in ion-lithium batteries and in coming years the rising demand could result in costs going down and then ionlithium batteries could make solar attractive,” Director of National Institute for Solar Energy, Praveen Saxena said.
But, the biggest stumbling block in its mass production is high cost. “In India, the cost plays an important role and the second factor is reliability. The lithium batteries face challenge on both fronts,” Saxena said.
Similar apprehension was also expressed when compact fluorescent lamps were introduced in India to replace incandescent lamps in 1990s.
In less than two decades, India is now one of the world’s biggest CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) markets. The success of LED (light-emitting diode) lon-lithium battery has five times more storage capacity than lead acid batteries that are being used in solar rooftops for homes
It also occupies lesser space than the conventional batteries and requires almost no maintenance
The biggest stumbling block in mass production of these batteries is high cost
Experts say these batteries will be more visible in the coming years as costs will fall because of competition lights, which cost about three to four times of a CFL, is leading to experts believe that ionlithium batteries can transform the scenario of solar energy in India.
Alokmani Tripathi at IIT Bombay is confident that ionlithium Solar photo-voltaic cell manufacturers said providing incentive can give boost to PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign
Some Indian firms in collaboration with the Chinese are willing to set up manufacturing units in India Manufacturers also want the govt to restore subsidy for solar rooftops
Govt is looking at providing incentive for installing solar rooftop systems to make them a feasible option batteries to store solar energy will be competitively priced in the next three to five years as demand for solar systems will rise because of the government’s target of installing 100 gegawatt of solar power by 2022.
The government is also not lagging behind in giving a push to “advanced” battery system for solar and electric vehicles. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is looking at providing some incentive for installing solar rooftop systems that run on highly efficient batteries to make them a feasible option.
“The issue is under discussion. We have to work out technical specifications before taking a final call,” a senior ministry official said.
Solar photo-voltaic cell manufacturers said providing incentive can give boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign as some Indian companies in collaboration with the Chinese are willing to set up manufacturing units in India.
The manufacturers also want the government to restore subsidy for solar rooftops.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries in April notified a `790 crore subsidy scheme for electric vehicles which provides about 40% higher subsidy for advance battery systems — primary ion-lithium battery systems — than conventional acid batteries.
“We want that the people should opt for the advance battery system which will provide better experience of an electric vehicle. It can make a huge difference as most of the people would be buying their first electric vehicle under the scheme,” a senior ministry official said, adding that ion-lithium battery run e-rickshaws have already been launched in India.
Experts said the impact of high capacity ion-lithium batteries will be more visible in the coming years as costs are bound to come down because of competition and high demand with half of Indian homes having the potential to generate over one gegawatt of solar power.