Ratul Puri on Energy Storage, BESS and India’s Renewable Energy Future

India’s renewable energy story is moving beyond capacity addition. As solar and other renewable capacity expands, the focus is increasingly shifting towards storage, grid flexibility and reliable power delivery. Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power, views energy storage as a critical component of this next stage of India’s energy transition. As India integrates a growing share of renewable generation into its electricity system, the requirements for managing and balancing power are becoming more complex. Transmission networks, flexible generation, energy storage and efficient grid management will play an increasingly important role in meeting demand across different times of the day. This broader perspective is reflected in Ratul Puri's views on India's Power Sector, with greater emphasis on building an electricity system that can support the country's evolving energy needs.

For Ratul Puri, project execution is equally important as the capacity creation for the future of India's renewable energy sector. Winning a renewable energy tender is only one part of the process. Projects also require suitable land, transmission connectivity, financing, reliable offtake arrangements and careful planning throughout their operating life. This makes lifecycle economics increasingly important. Developers need to consider factors such as battery degradation, augmentation, efficiency losses, operating expenses and long-term revenue visibility when evaluating projects. This broader approach closely aligns with Ratul Puri’s Energy Infrastructure thinking, where generation assets must be considered alongside the transmission, storage, and supporting systems required to make electricity reliably available. As renewable capacity expands, this approach can help the industry move beyond headline tariffs and focus on projects that can deliver reliable returns and dependable electricity over the long term.

Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS, are becoming increasingly important to India's renewable energy strategy. Solar generation is concentrated during daylight hours, while electricity demand can remain high during the evening. Battery storage can help bridge this timing gap by storing electricity and releasing it when required. However, Ratul Puri points to a broader opportunity for BESS. Batteries can support the electricity system through frequency balancing, peak management and other grid services in addition to shifting renewable energy from one period to another. For India's energy storage market to develop at scale, commercially viable revenue models will be important. Storage projects may need to generate value from multiple applications rather than relying solely on energy arbitrage.

Hybrid Renewable Energy and Flexible Power Systems

India's future power system is likely to combine multiple technologies rather than depend on renewable generation alone. Solar, wind, thermal generation and battery storage can work together to create more flexible power systems. These combinations also introduce greater operational complexity. Different generation technologies respond differently to changes in demand and grid conditions. Energy Management Systems can help coordinate these assets by determining when electricity should be generated, stored or dispatched.

This represents an important change in how power projects are designed. The objective is increasingly about building an integrated system capable of responding to real-time electricity requirements.

Battery technology will play a central role in expanding energy storage in India. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries are currently an established option because of their safety characteristics, performance and growing commercial acceptance. At the same time, emerging technologies such as sodium-ion and flow batteries are attracting attention for applications where cost, material availability or longer-duration storage requirements could influence technology selection. For Ratul Puri, maintaining technology flexibility is important as the storage market evolves. India also needs battery supply chains as domestic storage deployment increases. Greater diversification of battery technologies and manufacturing capabilities can support the country's wider energy-security objectives.

Digitalisation in the Future Power Sector

The energy transition is also becoming increasingly digital. Forecasting, predictive maintenance, real-time electricity prices and automated dispatch can help operators make better decisions about renewable generation and battery storage. Digital tools can therefore influence more than operational efficiency. They can also affect asset utilisation, revenue optimisation and the overall economics of power projects. The combination of renewable generation, BESS and digital intelligence could create a more responsive electricity system capable of adapting to changing demand and market conditions.

The evolution of India’s power sector will depend on how effectively new technologies and infrastructure work together. Investments in storage, grid modernisation, flexible generation and digitalisation can help shape a more responsive electricity system. The perspective of Chairman Ratul Puri highlights the growing importance of energy storage, hybrid generation, transmission infrastructure and digital technologies in achieving that objective. For Hindustan Power and the wider energy sector, the opportunity lies in connecting clean generation with the infrastructure and technologies needed to deliver dependable electricity. As India's energy transition accelerates, BESS, flexible generation and smarter power management are likely to become increasingly important to the country's clean-energy future.

About Ratul Puri

Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy generation. Over the years, Chairman Ratul Puri has been involved in the development of large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.