India’s battery capacity to 100 GWh by 2026?: What that means for grid storage and e-mobility

India’s battery capacity: At recent storage and renewables shows, industry experts pegged India’s installed battery manufacturing capacity at ~60 GWh today, with a pathway to ~100 GWh in 2026 as new lines from cell gigafactories and pack integrators come online. Treat that as directional (not guaranteed), but the implications for the power system and transport are big: cheaper domestic packs, faster BESS deployments, and deeper localisation. 

Policy tailwinds powering the ramp

• ISTS transmission-charge waiver extended to June 30, 2028 for eligible storage co-located with RE and pumped storage—cutting through-grid costs and improving BESS bankability. The government also green-lit support for 30 GWh of BESS earlier this year.
  
• ACC-PLI (Advanced Chemistry Cells): Central production-linked incentives are backing gigascale ACC plants (50 GWh allocated in the first round), with facilities expected within two years of award and incentives paid on verified domestic sales.
  

Demand pull from the grid: where the batteries go first

• Near-term BESS book: Utilities are moving. NTPC invited bids for ~2.67 GWh across multiple thermal stations to firm renewables and provide peak support—one of several large orders feeding local pack demand.
  
• System-wide need: The CEA’s National Electricity Plan (2023) projects storage needs of ~82 GWh by 2026–27 (PSP + BESS), scaling to ~411 GWh by 2031–32 with ~236 GWh from BESS alone—i.e., BESS moves from pilot to backbone this decade.
  
• Private pipelines: Players like Adani have announced multi-year BESS deployment roadmaps (e.g., 15 GWh by March 2027, longer-term 50 GWh), signaling significant offtake for domestic cells if pricing aligns.
  

Why it matters: A credible domestic 100 GWh supply reduces import dependence, shortens lead times for utility-scale projects, and—with ISTS waivers—improves project IRRs, enabling more solar/wind with less curtailment. 

The EV lens: how 100 GWh reshapes costs and availability

• Two-wheelers first: EV adoption is fastest in e-2W, where pack cost is critical. FY 2025 EV registrations touched ~1.97 million, including ~1.15 million two-wheelers; local cells smooth costs and supply for this segment.
  
• Local chemistries arrive:
  
  • 4680 (cylindrical): Ola secured ARAI certification (AIS-156 Amd.4) for its 4680 “Bharat Cell” pack (5.2 kWh)—already shipping in select scooters and seeding a home BESS product.
    
  • LFP & Sodium-ion: Reliance targets a 2026 Jamnagar gigafactory for LFP and sodium-ion cells (plus packs, containerised storage, recycling), with guidance around ~40 GWh initial capacity.
    

So what changes for buyers? As domestic lines ramp, pack prices stabilize and lead times fall; fleets gain spares and service assurance; and BESS options for depots and buildings expand—especially in states with supportive EV policies and demand-charge reforms. 

Grid use-cases unlocked at scale

• Peak-shaving & arbitrage: 2–4-hour BESS slices evening peaks in urban centers, reducing costly peakers and diesel back-up.
  
• Renewable firming: Storage reduces solar/wind curtailment, letting DISCOMs buy more clean MWh at predictable rates (ISTS waiver helps PPA math).
  
• Thermal flexibility: Co-located BESS at NTPC and state stations provides ramp support, black-start, and frequency response, speeding coal de-ramping without reliability hits.
  

What could still go wrong (and how to hedge)

• Materials & localisation lag: Electrodes, separators, electrolytes and ABF-class substrates are not yet fully local—watch capex in battery chemicals and recycling to reduce import exposure.
  
• Execution risk: Hitting nameplate by 2026 needs workforce depth and vendor readiness; tie ACC-PLI payouts to independent safety/quality audits and domestic value-addition thresholds.
  
• Policy whiplash: Keep ISTS waiver certainty and align BIS/CEA standards for BESS fire safety to avoid project delays.
  

2026 watch-list (practical checkpoints)

1. Quarterly disclosures from gigafactories on commissioned GWh and chemistry mix.
   
2. BESS awards → financial close → COD conversion rate for utility tenders (NTPC/SECI, states).
   
3. EV pack ASPs and lead times for e-2W/e-3W; dealer back-order trends (Vahan/SIAM).
   
4. Recycling permits and black-mass capacity announcements.
   
5. State EV policies (Delhi’s 2026 refresh is a bellwether) plus demand-charge and ToD tariff tweaks.
   

Growth with Grace

Rooted in Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj’s ethics, India’s march toward 100 GWh should be as accountable as it is ambitious. Publish a plain-English scorecard safety incidents per million hours, energy & water per kWh, recycling/recovery rate have it verified by independent audits, and ring-fence affordable capacity for the edges: rural clinics, schools, and MSMEs. When truth guides the numbers, care tempers the impacts, service directs the beneficiaries, and restraint shapes rollouts, capacity becomes a public good—not just a production statistic.

Call to action

For utilities & developers

Bank the policy window

• Pair co-located BESS with RE before June 2028 to capture the ISTS waiver; standardize EPC specs and safety clauses to move faster from bid to COD.
  

For fleet operators & builders

Local packs, better uptime

• Ask OEMs for domestic-cell options (4680/LFP/Na-ion) and AIS-156 Amd.4 proof; for depots/buildings, model BESS against demand charges and outage costs. 

Read Also: V Cells Made in India: Ola’s 4680 “Bharat Cell” vs Reliance’s Sodium-Ion

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