Bhuj: India has taken a significant step forward in its renewable energy journey with the commissioning of one of the world’s largest Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at Khavda in Gujarat’s Kutch region. Developed by Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), the project has a total storage capacity of 3.37 gigawatt-hours (GWh), making it the largest battery storage facility at a single location outside China.
The massive energy storage project marks a key milestone in India’s transition toward clean and sustainable energy. The advanced battery system is designed to store electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind power and release it into the grid whenever demand rises or generation falls. Experts believe the project will play a major role in improving grid stability and ensuring uninterrupted power supply.
According to company officials, the battery storage system was completed in a record time of just 10 months. The facility is capable of supplying round-the-clock electricity to cities comparable in size to Goa, Indore, or Chandigarh. It can also provide power support to nearly one million homes for an entire day. In another measure of its scale, the stored energy is sufficient to run nearly 12 million LED bulbs continuously for 10 hours.
The Khavda renewable energy park itself is emerging as one of the most ambitious clean energy projects in the world. Spread across nearly 538 square kilometres in Gujarat’s border district of Kutch, the site is around five times larger than the city of Paris. The region is being developed into a 30-gigawatt renewable energy hub, of which approximately 9.9 gigawatts are already operational.
Battery Energy Storage Systems are increasingly becoming critical for countries expanding renewable energy generation. Since solar and wind power generation depend heavily on weather conditions, storage systems help preserve excess electricity produced during peak generation periods and release it when demand increases. This technology also helps reduce power outages, improve frequency regulation, and stabilise electricity grids.
China currently dominates the global renewable energy storage sector with several large-scale battery projects located in regions such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. One of the largest among them is the Chagan Hada project, which has a storage capacity of 4,000 megawatt-hours and can operate even in temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius.
India, however, is rapidly expanding its own battery storage capabilities as part of its clean energy ambitions. Besides the Khavda project, another notable initiative is India’s first merchant Battery Energy Storage System developed by Juniper Green in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The 100 MWh facility has been designed for peak demand management and grid balancing.
States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka are currently leading India’s renewable energy and battery storage expansion. Industry experts say projects like the Khavda BESS will become increasingly important as India works toward achieving its long-term renewable energy and carbon reduction targets.
