Serentica Renewables has commissioned the first phase of a battery storage project that will help deliver round-the-clock (RTC) renewable energy in Rajasthan, India.
The Mumbai-headquartered developer announced the commissioning of a battery energy storage system (BESS) of 200MWh capacity in Bikaner, a city in Rajasthan close to the border with Pakistan that has become a hotbed of renewable energy development.
The company said the system represents Phase 1 of a total 1GWh BESS deployment at the site. It will enable the delivery of RTC renewable power to undisclosed commercial and industrial (C&I) customers, providing large industrial electricity users with 24/7 access to dispatchable clean energy.
In an earlier announcement in June, Serentica Renewables said the second 800MWh phase is expected to be online “within the next quarter.” The project is part of the developer’s total INR1 trillion (US$10.5 billion) investment plan in the state of Rajasthan.
Try Premium for just $1
- Full premium access for the first month at only $1
- Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
- Cancel anytime during the trial period
Premium Benefits
- Expert industry analysis and interviews
- Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
- Exclusive event discounts
Or get the full Premium subscription right away
Or continue reading this article for free
Serentica Renewables supplies energy to a range of customers and investors, including mining and metals, chemicals and textiles. The company has more than 3.2GW of operational renewable energy assets in its portfolio.
Backers include US investment firm KKR. KKR invested an initial US$400 million in the developer in 2022 and made an additional US$250 million commitment the following year.
Over half of Serentica’s total solar portfolio is in Rajasthan. Rajasthan is one of India’s leading states for solar deployment, accounting for around a third of all new utility-scale solar installed in India last year.
There is a concentration of those renewable facilities in the Bikaner region. Examples include a 1GW solar PV project by SJVN Green Energy, which will sell energy under three separate PPAs, a 400MW solar PV and 500MWh BESS project from ArcelorMittal, a 300MW solar project by Tata Power for hydropower company NHPC, and a 1,560MWp solar, 2,500MWh BESS project for firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) delivery by Avaada Group.
As with many other major developers in India, in addition to directly contracting electricity sales and energy storage services with customers through power purchase agreements (PPAs) and other contract structures, Serentica Renewables participates in tenders through India’s central nodal agencies.
In early July, Serentica Renewables signed a PPA with one such agency, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), for a 600MW allocation under the SECI FDRE VII Assured Peak tender. Serentica said its capacity award was the single largest under the 4,800MWh competitive solicitation.
