- The ambitious project, slated for installation across ten locations over the next two years, addresses the critical challenges of increasing energy demand and the imperative for sustainable energy solutions facing Indian cities.
Tata Power’s regulatory approval to deploy a 100MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) across Mumbai marks a significant step towards bolstering the city’s power infrastructure and advancing its decarbonisation efforts.
The ambitious project, slated for installation across ten locations over the next two years, addresses the critical challenges of increasing energy demand and the imperative for sustainable energy solutions facing Indian cities.
By providing backup power to essential infrastructure and enabling peak load management, the BESS promises to enhance grid stability, improve operational efficiency, and ultimately benefit consumers.
Strategic importance
The strategic importance of the BESS lies in its ability to provide resilience during grid disruptions. By safeguarding critical infrastructure such as the metro, hospitals, data centres, and the airport, the system mitigates the potentially devastating consequences of power outages.
Furthermore, the inclusion of advanced “black start” capabilities will enable a faster recovery from outages, and prevent wider blackouts by providing islanding support, allowing specific areas to function independently. This enhanced grid resilience is particularly crucial in a densely populated and economically vital city like Mumbai.
Beyond enhancing grid stability, the BESS offers significant economic and environmental advantages. The system’s ability to store power during low-cost periods and discharge it during peak hours is projected to reduce consumer tariffs in the long run.
Expanding renewable energy portfolio
The smart energy management also defers the need for costly grid upgrades, optimising capital expenditure and resource allocation. Furthermore, by facilitating the storage of surplus solar energy generated during the day, the BESS promotes the integration and utilisation of renewable energy sources.
This directly contributes to Tata Power’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality before 2045, and reinforces its commitment to expanding its renewable energy portfolio.
The successful implementation of this project hinges on the efficient management and monitoring of the BESS network. Tata Power’s plan to centralise control through its Power System Control Centre and integrate the storage infrastructure with a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) is a crucial element for maximising operational efficiency and realising the full potential of the BESS.
Moreover, the provision of ancillary services like frequency and voltage regulation will further contribute to the overall stability and reliability of the Mumbai power grid.