Honeywell Commissions Microgrid BESS At Lakshadweep

Honeywell Automation India Limited (HAIL) has successfully delivered and commissioned a cutting-edge Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) project in the Lakshadweep Islands. This marks India’s first on-grid solar project to incorporate BESS technology.

The Lakshadweep Islands project is a significant step toward the decarbonization of energy supplies for these remote islands. Honeywell’s BESS technology, which includes a range of solutions for storing and distributing renewable energy, will be integrated into the micro-grid of the Kavaratti islands. This technology supports automation, safety, and efficiency, enabling renewable power to work alongside the national grid.

Honeywell is providing several components for this project, including its Energy Management System (EMS)/Micro-grid controller and Power Plant Controller. These systems will manage the distribution of renewable energy and include various BESS subsystems.

Ashish Gaikwad, Vice President, and General Manager of Honeywell Industrial Automation India expressed the company’s commitment to supporting India’s energy transition and net-zero goals. He highlighted that Honeywell’s BESS technology is crucial for this transition and is proud of its role in the Lakshadweep project.

The project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It represents the first non-containerized BESS approved by SECI and integrates advanced Energy Management Systems with LEDA’s Distribution Generation Microgrid. This development marks a new era of green energy for the Lakshadweep Islands.

Currently, Lakshadweep relies heavily on diesel generators, which are costly and have high carbon emissions. The new 1.7 MW solar and 1.4 MWh BESS project is expected to save ₹2500 million over its lifetime, reduce diesel consumption by 19.8 million liters, and offset 58,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. 

Santanu Guha, CEO of SunSource Energy, emphasized the project’s role in supporting the energy transition of Lakshadweep and advancing sustainable practices aligned with India’s net-zero goals.

According to Shreedhar Singh, Additional General Manager at SECI, the project addresses the unique energy challenges of Lakshadweep and contributes to the national goal of promoting green energy solutions.

Honeywell’s BESS delivery for the Lakshadweep project includes its fire suppression system, EMS/Microgrid controller, and Power Plant Controller. The EMS functionalities cover capacity smoothing, peak shaving, volt VAR control, black start operation, and continuous charging and discharging.