Mumbai, July 21 -- India's energy storage requirement is projected to rise more than tenfold over the coming decade, increasing from 87 GWh in 2027-28 to 888 GWh by 2035-36 as rapid deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) accelerates. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation presented these estimates in the latest quarterly update of the Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring and Analytics for Nation-building (PAIMANA) Performance Monitoring Dashboard, framing the growth as integral to the transition towards a renewable energy based power system.
The dashboard projected that installed storage capacity across the two major technologies will continue to rise, with PSP capacity reaching 94 GW and BESS capacity 80 GW by 2035-36. It noted that such capacity additions are intended to strengthen grid reliability, facilitate higher shares of variable renewable generation and provide flexibility for peak shifting and system firming. The ministry characterised the projected expansion as part of strategic infrastructure planning to support energy security and decarbonisation objectives.
PAIMANA monitors performance across six key sectors, including civil aviation, roads, power, ports, telecommunications and railways, and the quarterly release reported an expansion to 165 indicators with the addition of 44 new measures. The update described the enhancement as improving the comprehensiveness of monitoring by enabling interactive visualisation and time series analysis. The platform was presented as providing a unified digital interface to improve accessibility for policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders involved in infrastructure planning.
The update also highlighted continued growth in telecom infrastructure, with mobile towers rising to 0.855 mn, up 3.7 per cent year on year, and Base Transceiver Stations increasing to 3.225 mn, up 7.4 per cent. Tele-density improved to 93.26 per cent in FY2025-26, which the ministry said reflected deeper digital connectivity. Electronic toll collection transactions were reported at Rs 880 mn in FY2026-27 up to May, up 39.7 per cent year on year, indicating wider adoption of cashless tolling.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.