India Adds 8.2 GWh of New BESS Capacity in H1 2026

India added 8.2 GWh of new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity in the first half of 2026, marking a major acceleration in the country’s energy storage market. According to a Mercom India Research report cited by pv magazine on September 14, 2026, the addition was nearly 84 times the 98.4 MWh installed during the same period in 2025, highlighting the rapid transition of battery storage from pilot projects to large-scale deployment.

The quarterly trend also points to strong market activity. India installed 3.6 GWh of BESS capacity in Q2 2026, 22% lower than the record installations in Q1. Standalone battery storage accounted for nearly 98% of quarterly additions and 83% of cumulative installed BESS capacity, while solar-plus-storage projects represented another 8%. The growing share of standalone systems indicates increasing demand for dedicated storage to support grid flexibility, renewable integration and shifting electricity supply beyond solar generation hours.

Rajasthan emerged as the leading state for cumulative battery storage deployment, accounting for 36% of installed capacity, followed by Gujarat at 20% and Maharashtra at 5%. At the same time, India recorded 28 GW of storage tenders in H1 2026, while only around 9 GW was auctioned, an 18% year-on-year decline in auctioned capacity. Mercom Capital Group CEO Raj Prabhu said rising solar additions, higher daytime generation, increasing curtailment and growing evening electricity demand are driving the need for storage.

The sharp increase in BESS deployment underscores the expanding role of energy storage in India’s renewable energy transition. With a substantial pipeline of projects, the pace of future growth will depend on converting tendered capacity into auctions and awarded projects, alongside bankable contracts, reliable grid infrastructure, stable supply chains and viable project economics. For India’s solar sector, the growth of BESS is increasingly important for making renewable power more flexible and dependable across different demand periods.

Resource: Energy World 

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