The viability of storing solar power using batteries and using the same power during peak times is increasing due to declining battery prices, said Raj Pratap Singh, Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), here.

“The storing of solar power using batteries is already working in several countries. In Australia, they charge batteries using renewable energy like solar and the stored power is used during peak hours or when there are power outages,” he told BusinessLine on the sidelines of CII’s Green Power 2019.

“When all lights are switched on during evening, the load goes up and at that time solar energy is not available.”

He explained that the solar batteries would be large storage units, with inverters, etc. They would charge during daytime through the solar PV system.

In India, public sector energy major National Thermal Power Corporation is working on storage solutions.

The falling price of lithium Ion batteries is making storage options economically viably.

“It is expected that very soon we will see prices touching $100 per kWhr, and it will become an economically viable proposition to set up an RE plant with battery pack storage, he added.

“So battery storage’s emergence as a tool to store electricity and use it later would also improve grid reliability. Use of such power for 4-5 hours in the evening will be quite useful,” he said.

With the advent of technology and the improving viability for battery storage, solar energy can become a broad-based load-bearing source of energy, he added.

Earlier, CII launched eco-labelling standard ‘GreenPro’ for rooftop solar PV modules.

comment COMMENT NOW