Budget 2026: Can India fix renewable energy's storage and reliability gap?
India Today
Sustained support for storage, critical minerals and local manufacturing could help India build a self-reliant and competitive clean energy ecosystem, say experts.
As India pushes ahead with its clean energy ambitions, experts are calling on the government to shift attention from capacity addition alone to energy reliability, storage and supply-chain security in Union Budget 2026. They say the next phase of the energy transition will depend on stronger policy support for battery storage, diversified renewables and domestic manufacturing.
India has made rapid progress in adding renewable energy capacity, but experts warn that intermittent power remains a major challenge. Addressing this gap will require sustained focus on energy storage and a broader mix of renewable sources.
Anurag Choudhary, CMD and CEO, Himadri Speciality Chemical Limited, said energy security must now sit at the centre of policymaking.
“As India accelerates its renewable energy transition, energy reliability and security must move to the centre of the policy agenda,” he said. “Addressing the intermittency of renewable power will require a strong and sustained emphasis on Battery Energy Storage Systems, along with greater support for wind, tidal and other new-age renewable options.”
Alongside storage, access to critical minerals is becoming increasingly important. Rising geopolitical tensions and concentrated global supply chains have intensified competition for resources such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements.
“With China holding a large share of global processing and refining capacity, it is imperative for India to ensure a stable domestic supply and greater control over exploration, processing, refining and recycling,” Choudhary said. He added that focused policy support and targeted investments are needed to reduce import dependence and strengthen supply-chain resilience.
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