The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has given a contract to Tata Power Solar Systems to build a 100 MW (AC) solar project with a 40 MW/120 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. The project includes one of the country’s largest grid-connected BESS installations and will demonstrate how solar power may be used to deliver clean solar energy during nighttime peak hours by utilising a BESS.
The contract was signed by officials of Tata Power as well as directors and senior officials of SECI and World Bank officials. The World Bank, SECI’s internal resources and domestic loans have all contributed to the project, which is one of a series of innovative renewable energy projects planned by SECI. This is expected to boost market confidence and spur additional investment in the industry, allowing India to meet its pledges to become a net-zero economy.
Earlier this month, Azure Power signed power purchase agreements with SECI for 2,333 MW of interstate transmission system-connected solar power projects as part of the 4 GW manufacturing-linked projects. These projects will be built in Rajasthan and will produce power for 25 years at a fixed tariff of Rs 2.42 per kWh. These projects will be commissioned in three phases: 1,000 MW in November 2024, 1,000 MW in November 2025, and the remaining 333 MW in November 2026.