IESW 2022: Encouraging market-ready innovations to fill the technology gap

IESA has partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for FLCTD Innovation Challenge for technology innovation in beta deployment of energy storage in India.

The aim of the challenge is to identify high-impact opportunities that have the potential for energy saving along with large-scale carbon emission reductions and to provide financial support for field validation/beta testing of their technology.

Speaking at the roundtable on ESS Systems held at the India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2022 at New Delhi, Sandeep Tandon, National Programme Manager - Facility for Low Carbon Technology Deployment (FLCTD), said: "There is a huge pool of opportunities for developing advanced energy storage applications at a global level. UNIDO-FLCTD Innovation Challenge aims to support, promote, test, and validate market-ready technologies to fill in for the technology gap and further boost advancements in the energy storage sector."

The innovation challenge aims to solve real problems in the field of electric vehicles (EV), energy storage and power generation sectors. The scope of growth is high in terms of innovation, particularly for battery energy storage solutions (BESS), Mr. Tandon added.

To date, since the inception of the innovation challenge, there have been around 59 winners who have been backed by UNIDO-FLTCD in terms of funding, testing, and validations and have taken their innovation to commercialization stage.

Moderating the roundtable, Debi Prasad Das, Executive Director - IESA said: "IESA is glad to support UNIDO-FLTCD innovation challenge. We have around more than 100 technology applications under the pilot projects. As programme manager, our aim is to make innovative technology market-ready. For the next round of innovation challenge, we expect a higher no. of applications.

Stephen Fernands, President - Customized Energy Solutions (CES) stated: "I am happy that CES is working closely with UNIDO for the innovation challenge which will further help in advancing technology ecosystem. This also makes me to look forward to new technologies that will disrupt the energy storage sector and open new avenues."

In 2021, total funding of ₹2.4 crores was allocated for various technology innovation program under the testing stage through UNIDO FLTCD innovation challenge, Mr. Sandeep Tandon informed.

Winners of UNIDO-FLTCD innovation challenge 2021:

• Offgrid Energy Labs
• VFlow Tech
• Cancrie
• Log9 Materials
• Supriya Charging & Infrastructure LLP
• Go Vidyut Mobility

Sharing the experience on the report received from UNIDO-FLCTD innovation challenge,

Sneha Mishra, Project Manager - Offgrid Energy Labs said: "As one of the winners of the innovation challenge, it feels immensely good, and furthers our belief that the product we have developed will find strong acceptance in the industry. The product validation before large-scale deployments in the industry has helped us to take it to the market seamlessly. 

Ramesh Arora, Head-Operations - VFlow Tech said: "It is important to demonstrate technology before taking it to market to overcome any post-commercialization issues. The demonstration for our Vanadium redox flow technology helped us to make a point that we are market-ready for our innovative technology for energy storage."

Mahi Singh, Co-founder - Cancrie said: "For our advanced materials for energy storage devices, we received a better clarity on the right application as benefits of being one of the winners of the innovation challenge. It also helped us in developing customer base for our product."

Ankush Raina, VP-Industrial Design - Log9 Materials: "In the energy storage market, product demonstration and are crucial, so is the support for the same is the key. The innovation challenge has helped us to take the risk for taking our product to the market backed by strong believe."

Rutuj V. Shete, Manager - Supriya Charging & Infrastructure LLP stated: "There is a difference between product development and product deployment. Each has its own set of challenges to be dealt with. The innovation challenge has helped us to solve the deployment challenges as well as product visibility in the market."

Sourbh Brahmanathkar, Co-Founder - Go Vidhyouth Mobility said: "It is important to accomplish technology testing to ensure utmost efficiency that has been developed with a view to disrupt the market. The innovation challenges helped us to exploit our technology's potential and validated it for being market-ready. It has helped us in achieving large-scale deployments."

The Facility for Low Carbon Technology Deployment (FLCTD) conducts annual 'Innovation Challenge' competitions that will identify innovative low carbon technologies and solutions to improve efficient end-use of energy with a focus on waste heat recovery, space cooling, and pumps and pumping systems. Winning technologies are provided support for the demonstration.

FLCTD is jointly implemented by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and UNIDO. It is also supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This 5-year project aims to promote innovation of low-carbon technologies and their deployment in industrial and other related sectors of the Indian economy.