Battery Manufacturers Should Invest More On R&D: Joint Secy, Commerce and Industry Ministry

While the government is known to be working on a dedicated programme to give a further thrust on Electric Vehicles (EVs), a senior official of the Commerce and Industry Ministry has urged the battery making industry to spend its resources on R&D that will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions in the entire manufacturing ecosystem. 

“I would also like the stakeholders in the electric vehicle battery sector to think invest in R&D so that the term clean technology is not only used to describe the output of the devices but also how the entire supply chain also emerges as a model example in providing the earth with clean energy, Vimal Anand, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

He was speaking at the Curtain Raiser of Bharat Battery Show that will be organised by India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). 

“There have been many critics of the sector talk about how much emission is going to happen during the manufacturing process. While there may be some exaggeration to it, but at the same time there is some truth also in it. So, you have to spend some time, R&D investment into seeing to it that the supply chain also is clean and not only the output is clean, added Anand. 

Technologies for global markets

Anand noted that many Indian conglomerates and startups have not only started working on developing lithium-ion batteries but are also focussing on futuristic technologies like solid state, thorium-based batteries and metal-based batteries.

“The production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been instrumental in nurturing our domestic supply chain ensuring that India meets its e-mobility aspirations and becomes a global leader in this domain. Under ACC PLI, India is developing 40 GWH and 100 GWH advanced battery manufacturing capacity beyond PLI, asserted Anand.

Anand also stated that India should move towards making the country the export hub for EVs and advanced Batteries. He is of the firm view that battery manufacturers should ensure that they produce many models which are in tune with global standards.  

“We are not yet producing models which are for which are suitable for the consumption of the global you know of the global consumers. So, we must develop some models beyond the consumption pattern of the domestic market so that we can contribute in terms of earning foreign exchanges,” maintained Anand. 

Anand believes that batteries are the cornerstones of the e-mobility transition, enabling efficient, sustainable, and reliable transportation solutions.   

“India requires 300 GWH of advanced batteries for e-mobility requirement by 2030. As we accelerate towards a greener future, developing and deploying cutting edge energy storage technologies are imperative,” noted Anand