Honeywell Delivers India’s First On-Grid Solar BESS Project

Honeywell Automation India Limited (HAIL) has successfully commissioned a microgrid Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in India for the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) Lakshadweep Islands project. This marks a significant milestone in India’s renewable energy sector, as it is the country’s first on-grid solar initiative utilising BESS to manage renewable power supply.

Honeywell’s BESS technology is integrated into the microgrid of the remote Kavaratti islands, supporting the government’s strategic initiative to decarbonise the islands’ energy supply. The BESS solution includes a complete end-to-end system for controlling automation, safety, and efficiency, with remote operation capabilities for battery modules and grid management.

For the Lakshadweep project, Honeywell provided its Energy Management System (EMS)/Microgrid controller and Power Plant Controller to manage renewable energy distribution, as well as various BESS subsystems. The solution was delivered to SunSource Energy Private Limited, a leading solar company in India, and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

The 1.7MWp solar and 1.4MWh BESS-enabled project is expected to save ₹2500 million over its lifetime, reduce diesel consumption by 19.8 million litres, and offset 58,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. Honeywell’s BESS delivery scope includes a fire suppression system, EMS/Microgrid controller, and Power Plant Controller. The EMS is used for capacity smoothing, peak shaving, volt VAR control, black start operation, and constant charging and discharging.

“We are committed to supporting India’s energy transition and energy self-reliance initiative by driving constant technology and software innovation to participate in the country’s Net Zero 2070 goal. To get there, new power/energy sources will be required, including renewables. Honeywell’s BESS technology is one of the fundamental enablers of this transition. The integration of our BESS technology into the Lakshadweep microgrid system is a positive step forward in this journey, and we are proud to play a critical role,” said Ashish Gaikwad, Vice President and General Manager of Honeywell Industrial Automation India.

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