SESI 2024: Transition to 5G networks will power demand from telecom, data centers

The telecom and datacenter industries are among the primary industrial drivers of energy storage in India. Both industries currently rely on VRLA (valve-regulated lead-acid) batteries but are foreseen shifting to lithium-ion chemistry because of advancements in li-ion battery technology.

Speaking at the 4th international Stationary Energy Storage in India Conference, Bhushan Khade updated attendees on energy storage trends at both sectors, pointing out that the transition into 5G connectivity was a major demand driver for the BESS industry.

"The transition to 5G technologies requires reliable and uninterrupted power supply and the telecom power market is forecast to have CAGR of 9.5 to 10 percent. Such growth for the sector requires upgradation of BTS (base transceiver stations, which act as interface between the mobile phone / wi fi dongle and the network), new tower infrastructure and installation of new BTS, as well as batteries that can serve huge loads," he said.

This requirement will stretch into 2030 and beyond, Khade opined. "India's best-case scenario indicates that by 2030, the country will have 11 to 12 lakh telecom towers. The country is consistently adding 40,000 to 50,000 new telecom towers and installing 50,000 to 65,000 BTS annually," he added.

When it comes to energy storage, the industry is thinking in terms of bigger projects. "By 2035, major part of India's stationary storage, which IESA forecasts at 75 GW, will be taken care of by utility-scale storage projects," he said.

The conference, held in New Delhi on March 19, was organized by the India Energy Storage Alliance, India's premier body for companies operating in the energy storage, e-mobility and green hydrogen space, to facilitate industry-government dialog on a sector of critical national importance.

For full coverage of the conference, visit indiaesa.info.