Battery storage is now cheap enough in India that solar power can meet 90% of the country’s power demand at lower lifetime costs than current average purchase rates in most states, a new study has found.
Modelling by energy think tank Ember showed that India could have met 90% of its electricity requirements in 2024 with solar and battery power at a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of ₹5.06/kWh.
The primary supply challenge, the authors said, would be extended periods of low solar output, especially during the monsoon, and not a lack of battery capacity.
Ember's modeling showed that of the 10 largest states, seven could procure at least 83% of their electricity from solar plus batteries at a lower LCOE than the current APPC.
