Storing the Sun: How Batteries could Transform Rural India

The article examines how renewable energy paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) can address India’s unfinished electrification challenge reliable power. While grid connectivity now reaches almost all households, frequent outages and voltage fluctuations continue to disrupt healthcare, cold chains, MSMEs, agriculture, and daily rural life. The piece highlights how falling battery costs, rising renewable curtailment, and supportive policy frameworks have made storage-backed solutions economically viable. By shifting surplus daytime renewable energy to peak evening demand hours, BESS can reduce diesel dependence, improve service continuity, and convert electricity access into dependable power. Overall, the article positions energy storage as a critical enabler in strengthening rural livelihoods and accelerating India’s clean energy transition.