Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on Monday unveiled the world's first-ever high energy storage device in Amaravati.
The thermal battery, first-of-its-kind anywhere in the world, is a revolutionary and disruptive technology patented by Dr. Patrick Glynn in 2016 in India.
Manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST), the first-of-its-kind cell is aimed at boosting up renewable sources of energy production, instead of non-renewable fossil fuel-based energy generation.
The BEST also aims to set up a Greenfield facility in Andhra Pradesh to manufacture these batteries. It is expected to invest Rs. 660 crores and create employment for 3,000 people within three years' time.
From a capacity of 1000 megawatts, the BEST would enhance the same to 10 gigawatts in the next six to seven years. Batteries suited for telecommunications, mini or microgrids and electric buses would be manufactured in the first phase.
Under the project, electric buses, produced in collaboration with Bilva Motors, a global consortium, could deliver an 800-kilometre range with a single charge, with the help of BEST's thermal cells. The cell can be customised to be charged in four or eight hours, depending on the source. It can also provide output ranging between 5Kwh and 1 Mwh.
The plant in Andhra Pradesh is expected to start its commercial operations by May 2019.
Energy world