Solarworld Energy Solutions and H.G. Infra Engineering have emerged as successful bidders in Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited’s (GUVNL) Phase VI auction to develop 500 MW/1,000 MWh of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS). Solarworld Energy Solutions secured 200 MW/400 MWh at a tariff of Rs 280,000 per MW per month, while H.G. Infra Engineering won 300 MW/600 MWh at a tariff of Rs 285,600 per MW per month. The tender was floated in January 2025, and does not fall under the central government’s viability gap funding scheme.
The selected developers are required to set up the BESS along with interconnection to the state transmission network. These systems must rely on commercially established and operational technologies to minimise technology-related risks and enable timely commissioning. The BESS units must operate with a C rate of 0.5 and should be capable of charging and discharging in modules between 50 MW/100 MWh and 100 MW/200 MWh, until the full capacity is achieved. Additionally, the systems must support two full operational cycles per day and ensure at least 95 per cent annual system availability.
The BESS will be charged using power drawn from Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation and will inject electricity back into the grid as per dispatch instructions from the state load dispatch centre in coordination with GUVNL. Developers are also required to maintain an AC to AC round-trip efficiency of 85 per cent on a monthly basis. Moreover, they must secure a separate metered connection for the BESS auxiliary power load and install a dedicated meter for auxiliary consumption, which will be billed by the discom.
