Energy Storage India 2014 concludes with broad consensus on opportunities for storage

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The 2nd annual Energy Storage India Conference and Expo, hosted by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) from December 3-5, 2014, in New Delhi, was a successful event that brought together more than 500 industry professionals and 65 speakers from 15+ countries. It was the largest such gathering ever held in India, and highlighted the many opportunities available in a fast-growing market.

Energy Storage India 2014 was attended by a diverse, business-focused group that included utilities, developers, energy storage OEMs, solution providers, Government of India ministries, regulatory and policy officials, commercial/industrial end users, and other industry stakeholders.

Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, Executive Director of IESA, states: "We expect the next five years will see a dramatic transformation towards decentralized energy solutions in India. ESI 2014 demonstrated the progress India has made over the past 12 months in creating a solid ecosystem for advanced energy storage, with the country poised to become a global hub for technology deployment as well as manufacturing.”

Dr. Walawalkar continued: “During the conference a broad cross-section of industry stakeholders came together to agree on the need for storage to meet various development goals for India. We also heard commitments from policy makers to develop policy framework, from R&D groups on the potential for cutting-edge research and from companies on setting up everything from incubation centers to full-scale manufacturing plants for advanced storage."

The conference began on December 3rd with three workshops covering key topics (Energy Storage 101, Power Quality, Micro-grids), and a parallel “IRENA International Energy Storage Policy and Regulators” workshop. Subjects covered in workshops and the conference program included the full range of battery technologies, as well as other forms of energy storage including pumped hydro, compressed air and thermal.

In addition, the event focused on opportunities for advanced storage solutions in India including renewable integration, rural electrification, micro-grids, smart cities, utility and industrial applications, and transportation. Other sessions covered financing models, project development, incentives and subsidies, and manufacturing options, with special panels on “Make in India” and “International Perspectives on Energy Storage” that generated significant interest among delegates.

Some of the highlights brought out during the conference include:

  • The energy storage market in India is expected to grow to an aggregate capacity of between 15 to 20 GW by 2020.
  • Massive expansion of renewable energy installations over the next five years in India will drive the need for energy storage to manage variations in renewable energy and maintain grid stability.
  • India’s “100 Smart Cities” initiative is a smart grid deployment program aimed at increasing urban grid reliability and accessibility and that can be supported by energy storage.
  • Actions being taken by the Modi government should provide stimulus for the growth of the country’s energy storage industry.
  • Ongoing innovations in energy storage technologies will lead to cost reductions over the next 5-10 years.

ESI is grateful to its supporters, sponsors, exhibitors and partners for their support and contributions in making this year's event a success. These include the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) as Principal Supporter; Siemens as Gold Sponsor; AMCO SAFT, Dassault Systems, Ecoult, Exide, Sun Edison and S&C as Silver sponsors; and Aquion Energy, Hitachi Chemical, Hosen Corp and Regen Powertech as exhibitors, as well as 30+ key industry partners and 27 media partners.

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