India needs 61 GW energy storage by 2030 to support 500 GW clean power capacity: Study

New Delhi: India will need a rapid expansion of energy storage systems to meet its clean power targets, with capacity requirements projected at 61 GW by 2030 and nearly 100 GW by 2032, according to a new study.

The report, prepared by the India Energy and Climate Center (IECC) at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Power Foundation of India under the Ministry of Power, finds the country on course to achieve its goal of 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030. However, it cautions that delays in deploying storage could force a reliance on coal.

In its ‘Reference Case’ scenario, which assumes compliance with current Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs) and storage targets, non-fossil capacity is expected to cross 500 GW by 2030 and touch nearly 600 GW by 2032.

“We are already about halfway to our 500 GW target,” said Nikit Abhyankar, lead author of the study and Co-Faculty Director of IECC.

“The next step is to scale storage at unprecedented speed to provide clean power round the clock. This will need $40-50 billion of investment by 2032, but the payoff is significant: consumers could save nearly $7 billion annually in power costs. Bold policy and market reforms will be critical.”

The analysis projects renewable energy generation, excluding large hydro, will rise fivefold from 210 TWh in 2023 to 1,195 TWh by 2032, making up almost half of India’s electricity output. Storage will be essential to integrate this surge.

By 2030, cost-effective storage is estimated at 61 GW/218 GWh, rising to 97 GW/362 GWh by 2032. Two-hour batteries will dominate until 2027 to meet evening peak demand, after which four-hour systems will take precedence. Large-scale deployments are expected in solar-rich states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The study warns that without timely storage, India may need to add 57 GW of new coal-based capacity by 2030 and 80 GW by 2032, pushing overall coal power to 270 GW and 294 GW, respectively.