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India’s Grid Readiness: BESS to Play a Key Role in 2025-26

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming an essential component of power grids worldwide, enabling peak load support and renewable integration.

Global BESS Market Overview

Current Leaders:

• China dominates with ~66% of global grid-scale BESS capacity.
• United States follows with ~25% market share.
• UK leads Europe with 7.5 GWh operational storage.
• Australia & Chile have growing pipelines.

Forecast for 2027:

China’s share will drop to ~50%, while the US, Australia, and emerging markets accelerate deployment.

India’s BESS Outlook: ST-NRAP 2025-26

The Short-Term National Resource Adequacy Plan (ST-NRAP) by India’s National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) outlines the grid balancing strategy for FY 2025-26.

Key System Projections:

• Peak Demand: ~292 GW (May–June 2025)
• Minimum Demand: ~135 GW (Dec 2025–Jan 2026)
• Storage Additions (2025-26):
• BESS: 3.3 GW / 13 GWh
• Pumped Storage: 1.5 GW / 8.94 GWh

These storage assets will charge during solar hours (10:00–16:00) and discharge during peak periods, enhancing grid reliability.

Strategic Actions for Grid Resilience

• Timely commissioning of solar, wind, BESS, PSP & thermal assets
• Shifting thermal plant outages to low-demand periods
• Ensuring gas & coal availability for dispatchability
• Expanding demand response programs
• Enhancing forecasting & transmission planning

With proactive storage-backed planning, India is positioning itself as a leading BESS market—provided infrastructure and regulatory alignment keep pace.