AP CM to inaugurate world's first-ever thermal battery Plant

Vijayawada, Aug 05: The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will unveil the world's first-ever thermal battery plant here on Monday.

Manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST), the first-of-its-kind cell is aimed at boosting up renewable sources of energy production, instead of non-renewable fossil fuel-based energy generation.

The technology, which will help in mitigating carbon emissions, is best suited for grid balancing and stabilisations. It will also be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric vehicles and highway charging stations. It can also be effectively used in remote locations, such as hilly terrains and islands.

The BEST also aims to set up a Greenfield Project in India, at an estimated cost of Rs. 660 crores, through which nearly 3000 jobs are expected to be created within three years' time.

From a capacity of 1000 megawatts, BEST would enhance the same to 10 gigawatts in the next six to seven years. Batteries suited for telecommunications, mini or microgrids and electric buses would be manufactured in the first phase.

Under the project, electric buses, produced in collaboration with Bilva Motors, a global consortium, could deliver an 800-kilometer range with a single charge, with the help of BEST's thermal cells. The cell can be customized to be charged in four or eight hours, depending on the source. It can also provide output ranging between 5Kwh and 1 Mwh.

The plant in Andhra Pradesh is expected to start commercial operations by May 2019.