Advances in energy storage tech needed for renewable energy to take off: Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu

Efficient energy storage technology can help meet the challenges in India’s renewables programme, former union minister Suresh Prabhu has said. India has set an ambitious target of having 175GW of clean energy by 2022 including 100GW of solar and 60GW of wind power. “India has embarked upon an ambitious target (of adding renewable energy). However, challenges are there, and it can be met with efficient energy storage technology,” Prabhu said while speaking at virtual event India Energy Storage Week (IESW). He was speaking at a pre-conference workshop held on 2 November. The IESW, organised by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), is scheduled from 2-6 November. In his keynote address, Prabhu said,“Storage is going to be a new thrust area. I am happy that we will be discussing energy storage in-depth with industry pioneers, think-tanks, policymakers, global Leaders at the IESW.” Renewable Energy Secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi said,“The renewable energy (RE) sector is quite fragmented. It involves numerous sectors within itself. We are moving towards a major share of RE in the electricity mix and will only accelerate further.” Energy storage is critical for the development of RE, he noted. The conference is a dedicated effort towards bringing the key stakeholders together to make India a global hub for R&D and manufacturing. The vision is backed by eminent dignitaries from NITI Aayog, Department of Science & Technology (DST), The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and many more. With an intent to facilitate international trade, IESA’s annual conference is seeing global partnerships from over 20 countries, 50 regulators and policymakers, 300 industry leaders, 50 partners and exhibitors, and 2,000 delegates.