A lithium-ion battery energy storage system has been installed in Rani Bagh, Delhi. The 150kWh / 528KWh battery storage system will serve multiple applications such as aiding power supply during electricity discharge due to peak load in Delhis summer months and assist the local network in the event of power outages and equipment failures. It can provide black start function to power equipment, helping it to back online quickly and without the need for external generators like diesel engines. It will also provide up to four hours of backup power at 150kW to local services providers.The project is located at one of Tata Power-DDLs substations. The area in which is located is densely populated with a growing electrical load.
The battery energy storage system has been set up as a collaboration project between the distribution company Tata Power-DDL, and lithium-ion battery and storage system company Nexcharge, a joint venture formed by the Indian company Exide and Swiss company Leclanche. Although the battery system’s capacity is relatively smaller than some utility-scale systems, it is one of the first grid-connected community energy storage systems in India.The energy storage system will charge during off-peak times and discharge to the grid during peak times. This will help support distribution transformer equipment and lead to peak shaving. In addition to managing the load, it will also provide voltage regulation, improve power factor and provide frequency regulation services.
Tata Power-DDL, is a power distribution company which is a joint venture between Tata Power and the Government of Delhi, in which Tata owns a 51 per cent share. Exide is an Indian company primarily involved in lead acid batteries, whileLeclanchefocuses on lithium-ionbatteries in the European region. Energy storage is an integral part of the electricity value chain. Improving storage technologies and declining costs are further pushing these to the forefront. With the increasing grid integration of renewables, energy storage is expected to play a key role in bridging the demand-supply gap, and improving grid resilience.