Wed Sep 03 09:17:13 UTC 2025: ## Summary:
India is experimenting with battery storage systems at coal power plants to address the challenge of integrating large-scale solar energy into its grid while maintaining a reliable power supply. This initiative aims to allow thermal plants to operate more consistently by storing excess solar energy for later use, reducing the need to ramp down during peak solar hours and ensuring sufficient power during evening demand. The state-owned power giant NTPC has been tasked with implementing this experimental technology at select coal plants with government funding.
## News Article:
**India to Test Battery Storage at Coal Plants for Grid Stability**
**NEW DELHI – September 3, 2025 (The Hindu)** – In a move aimed at balancing its ambitious renewable energy goals with the need for reliable power, India will begin testing battery storage systems at select coal-fired power plants. The initiative, announced today by a Power Ministry advisor, seeks to address the challenges of integrating massive solar capacity into the national grid while maintaining a stable electricity supply.
As India pushes to reach 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, the intermittent nature of solar power presents a significant hurdle. Thermal power plants are often forced to reduce output during peak solar generation, only to be needed again when solar power declines in the evening.
“At times there are only two choices. Either you shut down the coal plant (during excess solar generation) or lose the thermal capacity in the evening, which we don’t want,” explained Central Electricity Authority (CEA) chairman Ghanshyam Prasad at the PowerGen India 2025 event.
The battery storage solution aims to capture excess solar energy and dispatch it to the grid when needed, allowing coal plants to operate at a more stable rate. This would reduce costs, extend plant lifespans, and ensure round-the-clock power availability.
According to Mr. Prasad, state-owned NTPC, the nation’s largest power generator, has been tasked with piloting the technology at several plants with government funding. Recently, NTPC floated a tender for setting up 1.7 GW of battery storage across 11 coal plants.
While India is committed to clean energy, coal remains a vital component of its energy security strategy. The government plans to increase coal-based capacity by 97 GW by 2035, bringing the total to around 307 GW. The battery storage initiative represents an attempt to modernize and optimize coal power plants, making them more compatible with a grid increasingly reliant on renewable sources.
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