NTPC, India’s largest power generation company, is making a significant move towards the adoption of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) for energy storage. The company has recently announced a tender for VRFB systems to be deployed at its R&D centre, NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance (NETRA), located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
NETRA, established in 2009, focuses on developing in-house technologies and collaborating on research projects. The ongoing projects at NETRA include various innovative solutions such as carbon dioxide capture, solar PV, battery microgrids, and hydrogen generation using high-pressure steam electrolysis.
The decision to explore VRFB technology marks a shift towards bulk electrochemical energy storage at large capacities and longer durations as compared to lithium-ion batteries. VRFBs offer the advantage of decoupling energy and power at the stack level, making it a more cost-effective and space-efficient option for scaling up energy storage capacity.
Vishal Mittal, founder of Deletrik Systems, hailed the NTPC tender as a significant step in driving the adoption of VRFB technology in India. He believes that this initiative could play a crucial role in meeting India’s growing demand for battery energy storage systems in the coming years.
In related news, Invinity Energy Systems, a leading VRFB provider, has secured a 4MWh sale to EDF Renewables North America for a solar PV microgrid project in California. This development highlights the growing interest in VRFB technology for enhancing energy resilience and integrating renewable energy sources in various projects globally.
With ongoing advancements in VRFB technology and increased manufacturing capacities, the energy storage landscape is evolving rapidly, offering new opportunities for sustainable energy solutions.
