India's energy storage capacity expected to rise more than tenfold by FY2035-36: MoSPI
New Delhi, July 16
India's energy storage requirement is projected to increase more than tenfold over the next decade, rising from 87 GWh in 2027-28 to 888 GWh by 2035-36, driven by rapid deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems and Pumped Storage Plants, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's latest quarterly update of its infrastructure Performance Monitoring Dashboard.
The quarterly update said the power sector is poised for significant expansion in energy storage capacity as India accelerates its transition towards a renewable energy-based power system.
"Power sector is poised for significant expansion in energy storage, with storage requirements projected to increase more than tenfold, from 87 GWh in 2027-28 to 888 GWh by 2035-36, driven by the rapid deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Storage Plants (PSPs)," the release said.
The dashboard also projected that installed storage capacity across the two major technologies will continue to rise steadily over the coming years. "Energy storage capacity is projected to increase significantly across both major technologies, with Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacities reaching 94 GW and 80 GW, respectively, by 2035-36. The sustained growth reflects India's strategic focus on strengthening grid reliability and enabling higher renewable energy integration," it added.
The figures are part of MoSPI's quarterly update of the PAIMANA (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building) Performance Monitoring Dashboard, which tracks infrastructure performance across six key sectors - civil aviation, roads, power, ports, telecommunications and railways.
Apart from the power sector, the dashboard highlighted continued growth in telecom infrastructure. It said telecom infrastructure expanded to 8.55 lakh mobile towers, up 3.7 per cent year-on-year, while the number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) rose 7.4 per cent year-on-year to 32.25 lakh. Tele-density also improved to 93.26 per cent in FY2025-26, "reflecting deeper digital connectivity."
The quarterly update also noted stronger adoption of digital tolling, with "electronic toll collection transactions rising to Rs 88 crores (39.7% YoY) in FY 2026-27 (up to May), indicating wider adoption of cashless toll systems."
MoSPI said the latest quarterly release has expanded the Performance Monitoring Dashboard to 165 indicators with the addition of 44 new indicators, enhancing the comprehensiveness of infrastructure performance monitoring.
According to the ministry, the dashboard "provides a unified digital interface for monitoring sector-wise performance with interactive visualisation and time-series analysis for improved accessibility for policymakers, researchers and stakeholders."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some serious planning for battery storage! But we need to ensure domestic manufacturing of these systems - can't rely on imports forever. Make in India for energy security too!
The telecom growth figures are also impressive - 93.26% teledensity shows how connected we are becoming. But storage is the real game-changer for renewable integration. Hope states cooperate with central targets. 🤞
Impressive numbers but I'm cautiously optimistic. We've seen many ambitious targets before. The key will be actual execution and funding. Hope the pumped storage projects don't face environmental clearance delays.
This is the kind of forward planning India needs! Battery storage will solve the intermittency problem of solar and wind. Also noticed digital tolling up 39.7% - good to see cashless adoption. Ab 5G bhi high speed hona chahiye!
Good to see MoSPI tracking these metrics with 165 indicators now. But storage targets must be tied to actual renewable capacity additions. Also need to plan for battery recycling infrastructure - that's missing from the narrative. Environmental sustainability ka bhi dhyan rakhna hoga.
Impressive growth projections! The 94 GW pumped storage
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