New Delhi: Manohar Lal, Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, inaugurated India’s largest and first MWh-scale Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) system of 3 MWh capacity at NTPC’s R&D centre, NETRA, in Greater Noida. The project marks a significant advancement in the country’s efforts towards long-duration energy storage solutions, supporting renewable energy integration and strengthening grid resilience.
During the visit, he was accompanied by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary (Power), Additional Secretary Piyush Singh, and other senior officials of the Ministry of Power. They were received by Gurdeep Singh, CMD, NTPC, and senior officials of NTPC.
The Vanadium Redox Flow Battery represents a modern technology that could serve as an alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. The development of this advanced battery system expands the range of elements that can be used for building energy storage systems.
The Minister commended the NETRA team for developing technologies that address challenges in energy transition and energy security. He said that India’s capabilities in innovation and technology are setting new benchmarks for sustainable development and energy transition.
He was also briefed on NTPC’s ongoing R&D work in areas such as carbon capture, green hydrogen, energy storage, and waste-to-energy technologies. During the visit, he inspected several demonstration plants at NTPC NETRA, including the Green Hydrogen Mobility Plant, STP Water-based Green Hydrogen Plant, Solid Oxide-based High-Temperature Steam Electrolyser, MSW-RDF-based Enhanced Steam Gasification Plant, and the AC Microgrid (4 MWp and 1 MWh Li-NMC BESS), along with NABL-accredited laboratories.
BI Bureau
