Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh, proposed implementing a production-linked incentive (PLI) initiative for grid-scale storage to bolster capacity and encourage ongoing investments. Grid-scale energy storage systems play a crucial role in ensuring the round-the-clock supply of renewable energy to meet the increasing energy requirements. With only public sector undertakings like NTPC and Solar Corporation of India issuing tenders for grid-scale battery storage projects so far, the PLI program would encourage more private entities to participate in developing such projects on a large scale.

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has invited bids to set up and operate 58 electric vehicle charging stations across all its 33/11 kV substations and DISCOMs in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Mathura, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur district areas. The last date to submit the bids online is July 24, 2023. Bids will be opened on July 24.

South East Central Railway has invited bids for state-wise empanelment of agencies to implement grid-connected rooftop solar projects of 2.185 MW at various locations in the Raipur Division through public-private partnership and on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis. The last day to submit the bids is July 18, 2023. The bids will be opened on the same day.

NTPC Renewable Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC, has reissued the tender for the supply of battery energy storage systems for solar power projects at the Khavda Renewable Energy Park in the Kutch region of Gujarat. The tender was previously issued in November last year. NTPC Renewable Energy has modified the bid submission date, security amount, and eligibility criteria in the new issue. The last date to submit the bids is July 27, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

A group of researchers from the University of Ulm and the University of Freiburg have developed a positive electrode material made of an organic redox polymer based on phenothiazine for aluminum-ion batteries to help enhance its storage capacity. Given that aluminum is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust and its recycling is much easier compared to the largely used lithium, the experiment targets developing new organic redox-active materials that show high performance and reversible properties.

SafEarth, an India-based technology platform for renewable energy transition, has completed a funding round of ₹35 million ($426,755) to support the company’s product development initiatives and expansion into new industrial belts across the country. The funding round was led by Anthill Ventures, Third Derivative, and Mumbai Angels. SafEarth is an energy transition platform assisting commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers in evaluating solar transition options and savings.