Indian power utility invites bids for a 100 MWh vanadium redox flow battery

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), an arm of India’s largest integrated power utilities, NTPC Ltd, has invited bids for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package to develop a 100 MWh vanadium redox flow battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Khavda Solar Park in Gujarat. The under-construction Khavda Solar Park will be India’s largest, and one of the world’s largest solar parks with NTPC allocated some 4,750 MW of permitted capacity.

The project involves the installation of a 16.7 MW/100 MWh grid-connected vanadium redox flow BESS, which will be integrated at the 33 kV pooling substation of the Khavda Solar Plant. The scope covers complete turnkey execution, including design and engineering, supply, construction, installation and commissioning. The BESS must be designed for a 25-year operational life, including all battery components.

The selected EPC contractor will also be responsible for 10-year comprehensive operation and maintenance following successful commissioning.

Vanadium redox flow battery has the potential to emerge as one of the alternatives for more traditional lithium ion-based batteries. The development of this advanced battery system will widen the pool of elements that can be sourced and used for making battery systems.

India’s first MWh-scale vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) system of 3 MWh capacity was recently inaugurated at NTPC NETRA.

From pv magazine India.