Budget aims to accelerate grid scale energy storage; enables seamless RE integration: Pralhad Joshi

The Union Budget aims to accelerate grid-scale energy storage and enable seamless integration of renewable energy, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Sunday. Sharing his views on the budget announcements by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Joshi said the Union Budget takes a decisive step towards advancing India's renewable energy and storage ecosystem. He said that by extending the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exemption on capital goods used in the manufacturing of lithium-ion cells for batteries and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), the budget aims to accelerate grid-scale energy storage and enable seamless integration of renewable energy. Additionally, the exemption of BCD on sodium antimonate used in the manufacture of solar glass will further strengthen the domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem, Joshi said. Together, these measures reflect a strong commitment to building a resilient, self-reliant, and sustainable energy future for India, he said. In her Budget 2026-27, Sitharaman extended an exemption on capital goods used for manufacturing lithium-ion cells for battery storage. She also proposed to exempt basic customs duty on the import of sodium antimonate for use in the manufacture of solar glass. Presently, 7.5 per cent basic customs duty is levied on sodium antimonate. The FM further announced a scheme to adopt Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore.