IESA & UNIDO Partner to Promote Innovations in Energy Storage in India

IESA has partnered with UNIDO for FLCTD Innovation Challenge for technology innovation in beta deployment of energy storage in India

India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) has announced that it has partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for “Facility of Low Carbon Deployment” (FLCTD) Innovation Challenge for technology innovation in the beta deployment of electrical energy storage in India. To support and encourage the new innovations in Indian energy storage and e-mobility space, FLCTD by UNIDO on November 1, 2020, launched the 4th round of innovation challenge.

Grant of upto USD 50,000 for winning technologies and recognition from Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), UNIDO and IESA.

The aim of the challenge is to identify high-impact opportunities that have the potential for energy saving along with large-scale carbon emission reductions and to provide financial support for field validation/beta testing of their technology. The project supports innovative technologies in advanced stage of development for field demonstration and validation and does not support innovations that are at the ideation-stage, proof-of-concept or at lab-scale.

The challenge covers technologies such as electrochemical batteries, supercapacitors, critical components for electrical energy storage systems including power conversion systems while the applications include off-grid stationary applications, e-mobility, battery recycling, grid-connected and behind-the-meter. 

Debi Prasad Dash, Executive Director, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) said, “This is a unique opportunity for Indian conglomerates and MSMEs and start-ups to showcase their innovation & engineering capabilities in this sunrise energy storage and electric mobility sector. I urged emerging startups to come forward and participate in this opportunity. Recognising the momentum in the industry, IESA organised an Innovation workshop at India Energy Storage Week (IESW) on November 2, 2020, in association with UNIDO. The program was aimed at startups in the e-mobility, clean energy, energy storage, and clean transportation sectors.”

Companies/ institutes/ startups working on innovation in electrochemical batteries, battery management system (BMS), supercapacitor or a combination of battery and supercapacitor to address a technology gap in end-use application to improve the adoption of electrical energy storage system are highly encouraged to apply for the FLCTD project. The last date to apply for the challenge is December 18, 2020.

Sandeep Tandon, National Programme Manager, Facility for Low Carbon Technology Deployment (FLCTD) said, “the project aims to strengthen the innovation eco-system in India, particularly for the development of technology-based solutions that are helping address the energy and climate change issue. The project is also attempting to improve the academia-entrepreneur-industry collaboration to bring innovative technology solutions so that all stand to benefit.”

Globally, the energy storage and e-mobility sector are dominated by large legacy companies, but the Indian market is witnessing a different trend. While major conventional petrol- and diesel-based vehicle manufactures have forayed in electric vehicle manufacturing in India, there has also been a surge of new startups. The proliferation of startups in the EV space is largely driven by the government’s vision for 2030. The overall message is loud and clear that the government and private players are serious about electric mobility and transitioning to cleaner technologies.

In the last three years, FLCTD Program has successfully awarded 40+ winners and committed over Rs 8 crore in financial support. The past winners included organizations working on innovative technologies in waste heat recovery, space conditioning and pumps and motors.

UNIDO also engaged Customised Energy Solutions, India (CES-India) as the nodal agency to support the project management unit in the planning and implementation of innovation challenges in electrical energy storage. IESA is a supporting partner for this Innovation Challenge. Other partners of the program includes CII-GBC, Sangam-AIC, Intellecap, Start-Up India and AGNII.