Context
- The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has invited global bids to select beneficiaries for establishing 10 GWh of giga-scale Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery manufacturing capacity in India under the PLI Scheme for ACC Battery Storage.
- The entire 10 GWh capacity is earmarked for Grid-Scale Stationary Storage (GSSS) to store electricity generated from solar and wind energy for grid balancing.
About the PLI-ACC Scheme
- Approved by: Union Cabinet, May 2021
- Full name: National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI)
- Total outlay: ₹18,100 crore
- Target capacity: 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing
- Objective: Reduce India’s dependence on imported ACCs, strengthen domestic manufacturing capability, and build a globally competitive battery-manufacturing ecosystem.
Allocation So Far (40 GWh of 50 GWh target)
- Ola Electric -20 GWh
- Reliance New Energy -15 GWh (5 GWh in the first round + 10 GWh in a later round, after Hyundai Global Motors withdrew its original 20 GWh allocation)
- Rajesh Exports -5 GWh
- Balance 10 GWh now thrown open via the fresh global tender.
Key Features of New Tender
- Beneficiaries for the 10 GWh capacity—reserved exclusively for Grid-Scale Stationary Storage (GSSS) rather than earlier EV battery allocations—will be selected via a global competitive RFP on the CPP Portal using a two-stage QCBS process.
- Key dates include tender document availability on 15 July 2026, a pre-bid conference on 29 July 2026, the bid submission deadline on 13 October 2026, and technical bid openings on 14 October 2026.
What is an Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC)?
- ACCs are new-generation energy storage devices that store electric energy either as electrochemical or chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy as and when required.
- Includes technologies such as Lithium-ion and other advanced battery chemistries used in EVs, consumer electronics, and grid storage.
Consider the following statements regarding the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage:
1. The scheme was approved with the objective of achieving 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity.
2. The entire 50 GWh capacity under the scheme has already been fully allocated to domestic manufacturers.
3. The newly tendered 10 GWh capacity is earmarked specifically for Grid-Scale Stationary Storage applications.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2 only
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only
• Statement 1 -Correct: The scheme's target is 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity, with a ₹18,100 crore outlay.
• Statement 2 -Incorrect: Only 40 GWh has been allocated so far; the remaining 10 GWh is under the fresh global tender -allocation is not complete.
• Statement 3 -Correct: The new 10 GWh capacity is explicitly earmarked for Grid-Scale Stationary Storage (GSSS) applications, distinct from earlier EV-focused allocations.